Messages From A Dead Sage
by KakashiKrazed
Summary: After watching Jiraiya die, Kakashi is left with the task of figuring out what the cryptic message left behind means. A task made more difficult when the true owner of his sharingan eye reenters his life.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

The Cryptic Message

Naruto spun toward Kakashi. "You were there - weren't you?"

Kakashi nodded.

Naruto's fists clenched with barely contained anger. "Then why didn't you stop them? Why didn't you try to help him? I thought you said you'd never let your comrades die? Was it all just a lie?"

Kakashi watched the emotions play across Naruto's face. "It isn't that simple Naruto. There wasn't any way . . ."

Naruto launched at him, fists flaying. "I trusted you. You promised it would all be OK. Why is he dead then?"

Kakashi tried to deflect Naruto's blows but one series of hits got through his defenses and landed hard against his left side. The jonin staggered back and fell to his knees.

Naruto stumbled to a stop, his face showing his confusion as the concern for his teacher warred with his need to blame someone for Jiraiya's death. Concern won out.

Naruto knelt at Kakashi's side. "Kakashi-sensai, what's wrong?"

Kakashi clutched one hand against the ribcage of his left side. He struggled to take a full breath.

"Like I tried to say Naruto, I wanted to stop them but there wasn't any way to keep them away."

Kakashi pulled his hand away from his side and lifted it up between himself and Naruto. It was covered with fresh blood.

Naruto blinked as though trying to figure out where the blood came from. Kakashi felt the world tip sharply to the side and started to fall backward. His descent ended when Shikamaru stepped behind him to stop his motion.

Shikamaru's voice sounded tight with emotion. "Kakashi-sensai, what happened to you?"

Kakashi knew the young chunin was still reeling after Asuma's horrific death, and realized this latest turn of events was bringing those memories back to life for the young man.

"I'll be fine Shikamaru." The lie would have been easier if he hadn't gasped in pain after the last word left his lips.

Shikamaru grasped Kakashi's shoulder. "Kakashi-sensai, please don't push yourself."

Naruto turned toward where Tsunade was leaning on the edge of her desk. "Grandma-Tsunade, can you make him better?"

Kakashi saw tears fall down Naruto's cheeks when he turned back toward him.

Tsunade walked over. "Kakashi, why didn't you tell me you were hurt?"

Her tone was a cross between scolding and concern.

He met her eyes. "There were more important things at the time."

She scowled. "Why don't you let me decide what is or isn't important next time, OK?"

Kakashi bowed his head. "Yes Hokage."

"Sakura, Shizune, come help with this assessment."

The two medical ninjas were at her side immediately.

With Shikamaru still supporting him from behind, the women worked as a team to remove Kakashi's vest and over shirt. When they started to pull his sleeveless shirt away from his injury his sharp intake of breath caused them to be more cautious.

They pulled the blood-soaked clothing away and revealed a large, vaguely hand-shaped area of skin had been burned away.

Tsunade's brow creased. "Kakashi . . . who did this to you?"

He closed his eyes, thinking back to the moment of his wound. Jiraiya was being targeted by the members of the Akatsuki and Kakashi was doing his best to keep the enemy at bay. The two leaf shinobi were back to back deflecting numerous attacks. Their summoned animals fought side by side – toads and dogs doing their best to keep the enemy from breaking through. That was when Kakashi saw a new entry into the battle. He tried to warn Jiraiya of the immanent attack but the Toad sage was busy defending against another assailant. The glowing aura around the new enemy's hand gave Kakashi all the information he needed to know this assailant was out for blood.

Using his sharingan to time his move, Kakashi pulled Jiraiya away from the attacker at the last moment. The movement put him in the direct path of that flaming hand, and in a matter of seconds the energy burnt itself into Kakashi's side. Jiraiya could have used the distraction to escape but instead the sage seemed consumed with anger over Kakashi's wound and sprang at the attacker like a demon. For awhile the battle looked like it could be won, but Kakashi's injury made it impossible for him to aide Jiraiya and soon the toad-sage was overwhelmed by the combined forces of the enemy.

All Kakashi could do was watch.

When it was over, Jiraiya was dead . . . but not before he carved his cryptic message into Pa toad's back. The toads and nin-dogs surrounded Kakashi, determined to keep him from joining in Jiraiya's fate. For whatever reason – perhaps because they felt Kakashi was no threat – the enemy did not try to approach him after the first series of dog bites. They left him there with Jiraiya's corpse and the daunting task of returning to Konoha with the news.

Tsunade's voice brought him out of his memory. "Kakashi, please, who did this?"

He looked up to see concern deep in her eyes. "It was a member of the Akatsuki I believe it was the one called Zetsu. He and the others – Pein, Kisame and Deidara are the ones who attacked Jiraiya"

She leaned forward and probed his wound, causing the skin to open in more than one place. Kakashi's pained moan was followed by his whisper. "I'm sorry, Tsunade-sam. I failed you again."

Tsunade seemed startled by his words. "Kakashi, you did your best. No one could expect more."

He was sure her words were meant to ease the pain in his heart, but they failed. He would never understand why Jiraiya attacked instead of fled. He would never feel he hadn't failed both the toad-sage and the Leaf village. He would never be whole again.

The next several hours were a blur for Kakashi. He was examined by countless medical staff and taken at last to one of the operating suites where they did their best to mend the patches of dying skin forming the vague shape of Zetsu's hand print. In Kakashi's mind the scene of Jiraiya's death continued to play over and over even after he fell into an uneasy sleep.

--

* * *

Naruto watched Tsunade and the others tend to Kakashi-sensai's injuries. How could he have ever thought that Kakashi-sensai wouldn't try his best to save Jiraiya-san? What was he thinking when he launched his attack on his teacher?

He felt sick. When was he going to learn that he couldn't just jump to conclusions like that? Naruto sat heavily on the bench outside the hospital's surgical room.

"Naruto you should know Kakashi-sensai doesn't blame you." Shikamaru sat next to him on the hard wood bench.

Naruto didn't meet his eyes. "He might not – but I do."

Shikamaru laughed. "Then I guess Kakashi-sensai taught you more than anyone would have guessed."

Naruto looked at Shikamaru to see if he was making fun of him, but the chunin's face was the picture of seriousness. "But then why did I attack him in the first place?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "It's bothersome, but some lessons take longer to learn."

Naruto smiled. "Yeah. I guess so." He looked toward the operating room's door. "Why do you think they didn't kill Kakashi-sensai too?"

Shikamaru sighed. "I've been trying to figure that out myself. It could be his death held no value to them. But still . . ."

He steepled his fingers like he did anytime he tried to solve a complex puzzle. "Perhaps Kakashi is needed for another part of their strategy. Or perhaps they just couldn't afford the extra time needed to finish him off."

Naruto nodded. "I just don't know what I'd do if he were gone too." His words were so quiet he wasn't sure if Shikamaru heard them.

Shikamaru placed his hands on his knees and tipped his head back until it touched the wall. "I feel the same way Naruto."

The two sat in silence.

--

* * *

"What do you mean Kakashi is still alive?" Tobi's anger was almost palpable.

Kisame cringed. "Forgive me Mizokage, but it was impossible to reach him and still meet the deadline to rejoin you."

Tobi placed his hands behind his back and paced. "This will complicate things. With Kakashi still in the mix we may need to rethink how we proceed."

Zetsu's mantle bristled. "This one man worries you so much?"

Tobi stopped and stared into Zetsu's black and white face. "This one man could conceivably undo all that we've accomplished so far."

Pein chimed in. "Then let us return to finish what we started. He was no match for us when he was paired with the Toad Sage. It will be a simple matter to end him now that he's alone."

Tobi resumed pacing. "He has seen your methods. He will not fall prey to them again."

Deidara stepped forward. "Then what choice do we have?"

Tobi stopped once more and lifted his hand to his mask. "The only choice is for me to deal with Kakashi Hatake myself." He removed the swirled mask and turned toward the remaining members of the Akatsuki, revealing a face covered with scars and missing its left eye. "After all, this reunion is long overdue."

--

* * *

Tsunade, Sakura and Shizune spent hours trying to counter the burns splayed across Kakashi's side. The problem they were having was that whatever jutsu Zetsu used to inflict the wound was still working on the man's flesh. They had to find some way to stop the new damage from occurring before they'd be able to concentrate on healing the burns that were already there.

Just when Tsunade was ready to admit defeat Shizune's voice floated over to her. "I think we've found one that will work Lady Tsunade."

The hope in her assistant's voice gave the Hokage something to cling to. "Show me!"

Shizune and Sakura approached the operating table and presented Tsunade with a small bowl filled with pungent smelling lotion. Tsunade dipped her fingertips in and scooped a good sized dollop out. Its texture reminded her of the sea salt scrub she favored for her daily soaks.

She placed the concoction onto the most damaged part of Kakashi's wound, thankful the man was unconscious as she watched the area begin to squirm under her touch. She wiped the area clean after a few moments and was pleased to see the progression of damage seemed to have been halted.

She nodded to the two women and they stepped forward to liberally cover the remainder of Kakashi's wound. Even asleep, his body arched in pain as the lotion went to work. The look of despair on Sakura's face brought tears to Tsunade's eyes, but she was impressed to see that the girl continued to apply the lotion until her task was finished.

--

* * *

Kakashi blinked his eyes open. He wanted to say he knew where he was . . . but he honestly had no clue. A noise to his right caught his attention and he slowly turned his head toward the sound.

Naruto's yellow haired head popped into view. The young man's blue eyes were red-rimmed but he smiled all the same when he realized Kakashi was watching him.

"Kakashi-sensai! You're awake!"

"So it would seem, Naruto."

The young shinobi's expression changed to one full of doubt as he looked down at his feet.

"What's wrong Naruto?" A horrible thought crossed Kakashi's mind. "Has someone attacked while I was asleep?"

Naruto's head snapped up. "God no Kakashi . . . nothing like that."

Kakashi relaxed a bit. "Good. Then what's got you looking like you're going to be sick?"

Naruto met his gaze. "I'm sorry Kakashi-sensai. I should have realized you wouldn't have abandoned Pervy-sage."

Kakashi smiled with his eyes, pleased to see Naruto was thinking logically once more. "It's OK Naruto. You were upset."

"But it's you we're talking about. I should never have doubted you." He paused and wiped at his nose with his sleeve. "Especially not you."

Kakashi was curious. "Why not me, Naruto? I'm human too you know."

Naruto grew more serious then Kakashi had ever seen him. "Pervy sage trusted you more than anyone else in the village – he told me so. I should have known there was a reason for him to trust you."

Kakashi was surprised by his words. "What exactly did Jiraiya say to you Naruto?"

Naruto moved closer to Kakashi's bed. "It was a few months ago. Right after you were released from hospital the last time. He told me he had to go on some dangerous missions and wouldn't be able to work with me for awhile. I told him it was OK cause I'd just work with you instead. But he told me he'd be taking you with him for awhile. I didn't want to hear that. After all – you'd been unable to train me for a long time and I wanted that more than anything. "

He paused and a look of understanding came over him before he continued. "He said he was going places where he'd need someone to watch out for him and you were the only person he could rely on to do that."

Kakashi sighed. "Yeah – well we can see what a good job I did."

Naruto looked a bit angry. "But Kakashi-sensai, Pervy sage didn't expect you to protect him. His exact words were 'I need someone with me to carry on when it's over.' I just thought he was being crazy again . . . but now I'm not so sure."

Kakashi furrowed his brow. "Are you sure that's what he said Naruto?"

Naruto nodded. The two sat silently for awhile. Then Kakashi broke the silence.

"Naruto, give me a hand getting up."

The young genin looked around the room nervously. "Are you sure that's such a good idea? I mean, what if Grandma Tsunade comes in?"

Kakashi laughed, pleased that the act didn't cause more than a twinge in his side.

"Naruto, let me worry about that. I need to get back out there if we're going to stop the fools from killing anyone else we know."

Naruto grinned. "So I get to help now?"

Kakashi answered while the youth helped him out of bed. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

--

* * *

Jiraiya's death left more unanswered questions then Kakashi would have liked. The biggest of those was what on earth the cryptic numbers carved on the toad's back meant. Were they a combination? A location on a map? Some strange code meant to unlock the seal on Naruto's chest? He didn't have a clue.

But it was obvious after talking with Naruto that whatever it was Jiraiya meant for him to help the boy figure it out.

Kakashi rubbed at the back of his neck.

"Kakashi-sensai, are you OK? You look tired."

Kakashi turned toward Naruto. "It's nothing. I'm just thinking about our next move."

"Oh." Naruto looked at the ground then back up to meet his eyes. "Kakashi-sensai, can I ask you something?"

"Of course. What's on your mind?"

"With Pervy-sage gone and Asuma-sensai gone do you think the Akatsuki are going to come after Grandma-Tsunade next?"

Kakashi raised his eyebrows in surprise. He was impressed that Naruto was thinking ahead to their enemy's next step.

"What makes you think that?"

Naruto looked down at his hands. "Well, Shikamaru and I were talking earlier trying to figure some stuff out . . ."

Kakashi stopped walking. "Like why I was left alive?"

Naruto stopped short. "Yeah. That and other stuff too."

Kakashi looked up toward the sun. "It could be they don't see me as a threat. Or it may have been my dogs kept them at bay. Either way I don't think we've seen the last of them. It's obvious that whatever goals the Akatsuki had at one time they have changed to focus almost entirely on the Leaf Village now. I think the Hokage may be their next target. Not to mention the counselors."

Naruto tried to mimic Kakashi's pose. "Right. I forgot about them. But they are seen sort of as leaders here, right?"

Kakashi nodded.

"So then the Feudal Lord might be in danger too?"

"That's right Naruto. Which is why you and I are headed over to his estate right now."

"We are? Really? I've always wanted to see where he lives."

Kakashi chuckled. "Try to remember we're going there for serious business Naruto. Be on your best behavior."

"You've got it Kakashi-sensai. You won't even know I'm there! Believe it!"

--

* * *

Kakashi held Naruto back by the scruff of his neck. "Naruto, calm down."

"But did you hear what he said? He said you didn't know what you were talking about. Doesn't this guy get it?"

Kakashi had to admit his thoughts were running parallel to Naruto's but he learned long ago that not everyone agreed with his ideas. All he could do was present his theories and be content that the information was out there. What the Feudal Lord decided to pay attention to was entirely up to him.

The Feudal Lord stood up, his guards moving in closer to Kakashi and Naruto, their swords partially drawn.

"Kakashi-san, if you mean to be taken seriously perhaps you should leave the boy home next time."

Kakashi kept a firm grip on Naruto sliding one hand over the young ninja's mouth just in case. "I will keep that in mind my Lord . . . assuming there is a next time."

The Feudal Lord narrowed his eyes. "How dare you use that tone with me!"

The guards drew the swords out fully. Kakashi bowed his head in submission, never loosening his grip on Naruto. "Forgive me My Lord if you mistook my words. I simply was pointing out that I might not live to see you again."

Naruto squirmed under Kakashi's hold but was not able to break free.

"Allow me to remove this child from your presence and you won't see either of us again."

The Feudal Lord sat on his cushions once more. He waved a hand at his guards who in turn lowered their swords. "See to it Kakashi-san that you do not darken my door again."

Kakashi stood back up. "As you command, my Lord."

He backed out of the audience room with Naruto firmly in his arms. Once he was beyond the doors he released the young ninja, turned around and shoved his hands into his pockets. He glanced over his shoulder at Naruto.

"That went well."

Naruto's eyes went wide. "Are you insane Kakashi-sensai? That didn't go well at all!"

Kakashi shrugged. "We're both still alive. That's something."

He walked slowly away from the Feudal Lord's residence. After a few moments he heard Naruto run to catch up. They'd tried to warn the fool. What happened from here on was no longer his concern.

--

* * *

Kakashi and Shikamaru spent most of the week trying to figure out Jiraiya's final message. They'd tried every imaginable cipher and more than a few unimaginable ones. All they found were headaches beyond any they'd ever had in the past.

"This makes no sense Kakashi-sensai. Why would Jiraiya-san use a code that the Leaf has no chance of solving?" Shikamaru sat back and steepled his fingers.

Kakashi ran his hand over the back of his neck. "He wouldn't. We have to be missing something."

Kakashi ran the days leading up to the attack over and over in his mind. There was nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing that gave him the slightest clue what Jiraiya's cryptic numbers might mean.

Shikamaru sighed. "Maybe we aren't going back far enough. Perhaps it was from a time before you were in the hospital the last time."

Kakashi closed his eyes. What was he doing before he . . . wait – not before the hospital. Jiraiya came to see him more than once while he was still in the hospital. His eyes snapped open. "I'll be right back."

Kakashi left Shikamaru in the room staring after him as he ran out the door. Jiraiya's gift made no sense at the time. The Toad Sage knew he'd already read Make Out Paradise but he'd brought Kakashi two copies of the book to pass the time. Not copies of his new volume – but copies of the second book. He'd been in no shape to question it back then and after he was released Jiraiya asked him to go with him for a series of missions. The gift had slipped Kakashi's mind entirely.

Kakashi never opened the second book, thinking it was just another copy of Make Out Paradise and he'd keep it in reserve for when he'd worn out the first copy. Could it be that the answers lay within the pages of the second volume?

He pushed open his door and was about to head for his bookshelf when he realized he wasn't alone. Kakashi skidded to a stop.

"What's the hurry Kakashi Hatake?" The voice was familiar but he couldn't place a finger on it.

Kakashi took a moment to look into the shadows until he found his visitor's shape amidst the darkness. The shape moved forward into the light allowing Kakashi to see the red on black robes marking the intruder as a member of the Akatsuki. The stranger's hair was black and they wore a red swirled mask. Kakashi narrowed his eyes and moved one hand toward his weapons pouch while the other lifted his headband to reveal his sharingan.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't think I had any visitors coming today."

"Don't you recognize me Kakashi Hatake? Have I changed so much over the years?"

The visitor reached toward the mask and slowly removed it. Kakashi lowered his hand to his side at the sight of the scarred face that was missing its left eye.

"Obito?"

"Long time no see Kakashi." He stepped forward until he was face to face with Kakashi, sharingan locking with sharingan.

"I believe you have something that belongs to me."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Of Friends and Enemies

Kakashi stared at the face of his childhood teammate. He had aged – but there was no denying this man was indeed Obito Uchiha.

"How?"

Obito placed his hands on his hips. "After all this time and that's it? How? You disappoint me Kakashi. After all – you're supposed to be the genius aren't you?"

Kakashi shook his head to try and clear his mind. "You were dead. You were crushed under tons of rocks. We held your memorial. You're name is carved on the stone."

Obito walked to Kakashi's desk and sat on its chair. "You assumed I was dead. Did you ever once go back to check? If you had – then maybe you would have been the one to find me in the pocket of space that was created during the avalanche. Maybe you should have bothered to make sure I was dead before moving on."

"Moving on? Is that honestly what you think I did, Obito?" Kakashi crossed the room and sat on the edge of his bed – feeling he was in a dream – but not letting his guard down fully. After all – Obito was wearing the robes of the Akatsuki.

The black-haired man crossed his arms behind his head and tipped the chair back until it was teetering on two legs – a move he used to do back when they were younger. "Let me think about that one Kakashi . . . you are still alive – you seem to have made more than a few friends – and you have the respect of your students . . . wouldn't Minato-sensei be so proud of you . . ."

Kakashi cringed at mention of the Fourth Hokage and narrowed his eyes. "Why are you here Obito?"

Obito settled the chair back on the floor. "So – still all business I see. I guess some things never change, do they Kakashi?"

"Well?"

Obito met Kakashi's gaze, stood up and smiled – which looked twisted amongst all the scars criss-crossing his face. "To ask you to step aside."

Kakashi's eyes went wide. "Step aside?"

Obito's smile grew more twisted. "Yes. Step aside."

Kakashi stood up. He was still shorter then Obito – even after all these years – but just like then he was hardly intimidated by the man. "Why would I ever do that Obito?"

"Hmmm . . . for starters – if you don't then everyone you care about will die."

Kakashi laughed. "That threat has been made before Obito. It didn't work then – what makes you think it will work now?"

The smile left Obito's face. "We killed the old man. What chance do you think the rest of them have against the power of the Akatsuki?"

Kakashi's gaze turned dangerous. "You should know – better than most – how capable the Leaf village is Obito . . . or did those rocks addle you more then you already were?"

"Would you care to lay a wager on that Hatake?" Obito's hands went into the folds of his Akatsuki robe.

Kakashi pulled out a kunai and crouched at the ready. Obito moved swifter than he'd ever moved as a youngster. It was all Kakashi could do to avoid being hit by a flurry of shuriken. The throwing stars made a dull thud as they embedded themselves into the wall of the room and Kakashi knew his former teammate was out for his blood. Especially when he followed immediately with a series of small fireballs aimed straight for him. He narrowly avoided this attack as well – the flames setting his dresser on fire instead.

Kakashi sent a volley of his shuriken toward his one-time teammate. "I see you've learned that trick from your cousin Itachi. But it didn't work for him either."

Locking his gaze on the enemy, Kakashi experienced an odd feeling when his sharingan was met by its mate across the room. Obito's eye had fully matured - much as its match had done in Kakashi's body. Three black commas were set within the blood red iris – and Kakashi wondered if Obito had mastered the Mangekyo potential as well. He'd have to be careful.

Obito was calmer then Kakashi ever remembered him being. "What makes you think I learned it from him? In truth – Itachi learned from me."

Kakashi tensed. If this was true - then the boy once known as a disgrace to the Uchiha blood had grown into someone most dangerous. "Obito – it's not too late."

Obito laughed maniacally. "It's not too late? You always were an idealist Hatake. It's been too late since the moment you, Rin and Minato-sensei left me behind. All that babble from Sensei about teamwork . . . and he never came back for me either."

Obito launched at Kakashi and pinned him to the ground. "Did you even miss me once I was gone Kakashi?"

Kakashi pushed the man off him and scrambled back to his feet. He responded with a voice that was tight in his throat – only partially being caused by the smoke filling the room."Every time I look in the mirror and see your eye I think of you Obito."

The dark-haired man came at him again – this time Kakashi blocked each hit. "You thought of me? How kind – but I notice you never said you missed me."

Kakashi sent a flurry of his own attacks at the Akatsuki member. "It was hard to miss you when I was reminded of you every day of my life."

Obito latched onto Kakashi's wrists and pulled him in close. "You could always give it back – then you won't have to think of me again."

Kakashi swallowed. "That's why you risked coming here? To get your eye back?"

Obito pushed Kakashi's arms behind his back painfully. "No. It was to correct the mistake made by my colleagues." He leaned in close to Kakashi's ear. "You weren't supposed to outlive the old man."

Kakashi's eyes went wide. He had to get out of Obito's grip or he was done for. He brought one knee up sharply into Obito's groin. He felt the man's grip release in reaction to the hit and Kakashi swiftly pulled free and tumbled to the far side of the room. The flames from his dresser were spreading and the thick smoke was making it hard to breathe.

Obito's voice held the edge of hatred in it. "You never did play fair Hatake."

The two faced off again – more balls of flame set what little furniture Kakashi owned afire while Kakashi jumped and dodged – trying to land at least a few hits on Obito. The ease with which the robed man avoided his attacks made Kakashi wonder just what training the other had gone through in the years since they'd parted company.

Shouts from outside caused the two shinobi to pause in their battle. "Fire! Quick – call the brigade in! Hurry up and get some water before it spreads!"

Obito narrowed his eye and stepped toward Kakashi's window. "I guess this will need to be settled later Hatake." He placed his red swirled mask back on his face. "But rest assured – it will be settled."

With that, Obito jumped through the window and bounded away over the rooftops of the village.

Kakashi resisted the urge to give chase – noticing the flames were growing close to the bookcase where his Icha Icha books were stored. He put his kunai away and walked over to retrieve what had originally brought him back to his room – the second volume gifted to him by Jiraiya. He gripped the book tightly, looked around the burning room once more and sighed. He then jumped out his window and back toward where he knew Shikamaru was waiting for him.

--

* * *

Shikamaru was beginning to think Kakashi wasn't coming back when he heard the door open. Kakashi shuffled in with his hands in his pockets, a copy of his favorite book tucked under his arm and a far-off look in his eye. It wouldn't have sparked Shikamaru's curiosity at all except for the fact that there was soot smeared across the jonin's face and his clothes smelled of smoke.

It was bothersome – but it appeared perhaps he was about to be pulled into another adventure with the Copy-ninja at the lead.

Shikamaru tipped his head to the side and sighed. "I take it you found what you went looking for?"

Kakashi shrugged. "You could say that."

He tossed the volume of Make Out Paradise to him. Shikamaru looked from the volume in his hands to Kakashi's face. "I don't really get this stuff you know. It's pretty much a bore."

Kakashi sat down next to him and picked up a handwritten copy of Jiraiya's code. "I have a theory that I need to test out. Turn to page nine."

Shikamaru did as he was asked. He skimmed the page and blushed at what he was reading. He looked up at Kakashi. "You actually read this stuff?"

Kakashi shrugged and scratched the back of his head. "It really has a well written plot if you read the whole thing."

Shikamaru doubted that – based on the small sampling he just read. "Right . . . so what exactly were you hoping to find here?"

Kakashi opened the pouch at his waist and pulled out his original copy of the book. He flipped it open with one hand and placed it on the floor. "Let's see if there's any difference between the two, shall we?"

The light finally came on in Shikamaru's mind – and he understood where Kakashi was headed. He placed the volume is his hand next to Kakashi's and together they poured over the words.

Sure enough – there were subtle differences between the two copies. Shikamaru reached behind him for the highlighter he'd been using earlier. Every word that differed was marked in the gift version and soon they could see the beginnings of a message emerge. When they finished with page nine, they moved on to the next number in the code and did the same thing. But the words from this page made no sense in the changed volume.

Shikamaru scratched his head and looked to Kakashi. He looked just as confused. They were missing something again . . . they both knew it.

Shikamaru glanced at Kakashi's copy – the glimmer of an idea forming in his mind. He took the highlighter and marked the corresponding words in the original copy. This time the words made sense.

Kakashi chuckled. "Leave it to Jiraiya to make certain we'd have to pay attention to both copies."

Shikamaru sighed. "This will make it even more bothersome."

By the time they were finished, both he and Kakashi rubbed at their eyes. Shikamaru grimaced and stretched his arms over his head, twisting his body from side to side in an attempt to loosen his muscles. "That was troublesome work, but I guess it was worth it in the end."

Kakashi nodded and reached for a blank scroll. He transferred the messages from both books and then leaned back to meet Shikamaru's eyes. "No one can know of this – do you understand?"

Shikamaru saw an edge in Kakashi's gaze that made it crystal clear that the jonin could and would do anything it took to keep this message safe. He swallowed – knowing with certainty that would include keeping him from sharing the message with anyone if it came to that.

"No one will hear anything of this from me Kakashi-sensei. I swear."

Kakashi's eyes narrowed – as though he was trying to judge whether or not he could trust what Shikamaru just said. Shikamaru reached down and closed the two books. He handed them to Kakashi.

"These need to be dealt with."

Kakashi took the books from Shikamaru's hands and nodded once. He moved to the far end of the room and held the books up to eye level. Kakashi let loose a large sigh and then placed the two volumes onto the grate in the fireplace. A few hand signs later and Shikamaru watched a small fireball engulf the books. Kakashi and Shikamaru watched silently until they were certain ever bit of the books was destroyed.

Kakashi then removed one of his gloves and drew the tip of a kunai across his palm. He thrust the bloody palm to the floor and summoned one of his ninja dogs. This was one Shikamaru hadn't met before. The bulldog stood higher than Shikamaru's waist and wore a collar with spikes longer then his spread hand. His fur was a dark gray and the front legs were wrapped in bandages – one of them had a Leaf village headband tied around it.

Never a fan of dogs, Shikamaru stayed in the background and watched. Kakashi stepped forward and scratched behind the dog's ear, speaking to it as though it was his best friend.

"Ah, Buru – I'm sorry to get you involved in this – but you are my best defense."

The dog pushed his head into Kakashi's body making the jonin chuckle and hug the beast. Kakashi pulled the scroll he'd just created out and fastened it inside Buru's collar – making a hand sign to seal it in place. He stepped back and met the dog's eyes.

"Don't show yourself unless something happens to me – understood?"

The dog whimpered.

"Shikamaru, come here."

Shikamaru hesitated until Kakashi turned toward him and waited. He walked over to the man and his dog.

Kakashi stood up. "Buru - this is Shikamaru. Shikamaru - this is Buru."

Shikamaru looked the dog in the eye. "Glad to meet you."

Kakashi chuckled. "Let Buru smell your hand. He needs to get your scent."

Shikamaru wrinkled his nose but put his hand out for the large bulldog to nuzzle his snout into. Once he finished, Shikamaru wiped his hand on his pants and shoved it back into his pocket. Kakashi smiled and turned his attantion back to the dog.

"Buru - this is important - this is the only other person you should let near that scroll - understand?"

The dog barked once - nearly knocking Shikamura to the ground from it's volume. Kakashi scratched the bulldog's head once more and sent it away.

After a few moments of silence, Kakashi turned back toward Shikamaru. "Let's go. We need to be out of the village before nightfall."

Shikamaru shoved one hand into his pocket. "Are you sure you need me to go along? I mean this is liable to be very bothersome isn't it?"

Kakashi shoved his hands in his pockets. "Yeah – well it'll be more bothersome if we don't do as Master Jiraiya instructed. Now come on – you need to get your field pack – and we need to gather a few more people before we can leave."

Shikamaru tipped his head to the side. "Shouldn't we stop at your apartment too?"

Kakashi shrugged. "There's nothing there for me anymore."

Shikamaru reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief. "Then perhaps you'd like to remove the final traces of it from your face."

Kakashi's eyes went wide and then he laughed. He took the cloth and wiped away the soot which had been smeared across his face since his arrival. He returned the handkerchief and Shikamaru took it with his index finger and thumb by one corner and held it between them – his nose wrinkled.

"I think it's best if we just leave this behind, Kakashi-sensei."

They shared a laugh and headed for the door.

--

* * *

While Tsunade thought about all Kakashi had just told her, he waited in silence – his hands in his pockets. She leaned forward on her desk and placed her chin in her right palm.

"Let me get this straight Kakashi. You and Shikamaru have solved Jiraiya's code?"

He nodded.

"But you won't share that with me?"

Kakashi placed one hand to the back of his neck and laughed nervously. "I can't Hokage."

She leaned back in her chair and narrowed her eyes. "Can't? And why on earth can't you Kakashi Hatake?"

He shrugged. "Because you'd try to stop me."

She sighed and looked at Shikamaru. The chunin stood at Kakashi's side, one hand shoved in his pocket and an unlit cigarette dangling from his lips. She was struck by how he looked like a cross between Kakashi and Asuma in his mannerisms.

"I don't suppose you can tell me what's in the message Shikamaru?"

She watched Shikamaru glance over at Kakashi – who didn't move at all – and then back at her. He shrugged – again reminding her of the man to his left.

"I should probably tell you what I know - considering that you are the Hokage. Although it's annoying, I really can't."

Tsunade glared at the young man. "And why would that be Shikamaru Nara?"

He pointed toward Kakashi with his thumb. "Because he scares me more than you do."

Tsunade raised her eyebrows in surprise at Shikamaru's honest answer. In truth – Kakashi scared her a little at times too. She turned her gaze back to the masked jonin.

"I don't like this Kakashi. You're asking me to approve an S-ranked mission for you and Shikamaru, but you aren't able to tell me where you're going, what you'll be doing, or even how long you'll be gone."

He nodded again.

Tsunade scanned the rest of the shinobi gathered in the room – all of whom looked like they knew even less than she did. "On top of that you want me to authorize Sakura, Naruto, Sai and Neji to go as well?"

Kakashi gave his nervous laugh again. "Yeah – that about sums it up."

"And if I say no?"

She watched all the color drain from Shikamaru's face while Kakashi's eye took on a hard edge that she'd only seen a handful of times. She shivered while he responded.

"Then the Leaf village will cease to exist and everyone in it will die."

He'd said those words with such conviction that every person in the room swallowed. Tsunade closed her eyes – wishing with all her heart that Jiraiya was still with them. She opened them up again and locked her gaze with Kakashi's.

"All right, Kakashi. I'll give you the go ahead – but so help me – if you or any of these kids don't make it back in one piece – I'll kill you."

Kakashi bowed his head in acknowledgment. "Hokage – if I don't make it back – I'll already be dead."

With that said, Kakashi and his newly formed team left her office and headed out of the village.

Tsunade watched them go, then reached for the sake she kept in her drawer. Pouring herself a cup, she brought it to her lips and paused.

_Dammit Jiraiya – what the hell was in that message?_

She tipped her head back and drank the cup dry before reaching for the bottle once more.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The Mission Begins

Kakashi's team had been traveling non-stop for over three days. Hardly a word was shared by the group throughout the journey – but the tension over the unknown mission was building with each passing moment.

Kakashi scowled. _At this rate – we're going to be able to be detected by a genin just from the level of anxiety we're giving off!_

Kakashi signaled for a stop and realized he'd need to find a way to calm their doubts without giving away too much regarding the ultimate goal of the mission. It was bad enough that he and Shikamaru carried the burden of that knowledge – there was no need to let the others share in that danger if it could be avoided.

Sakura stepped to his side before he could begin his explanation. "Kakashi-sensei, I need to check your wound." The pink-haired medical ninja left no room for argument.

Kakashi sighed and removed his pack, vest and over-shirt to expedite the exam. Sakura lifted his sleeveless shirt up enough to expose his side, and pushed along the edges of the damaged area. Although no longer breaking open with the application of pressure, the hand-shaped patch of skin was still discolored and tender to the touch. Kakashi let a sharp hiss through his teeth when she pushed down in the center of the mark.

Sakura looked up and met his dark gray eye. "Still a bit sore Sensei?"

He narrowed his gaze. "What gave it away?"

Her eyes sparkled as she reached into her medical kit and pulled out a jar of ointment. Kakashi wrinkled his nose. "Does it have to be that stuff again?"

Sakura laughed lightly. "Only if you actually want the damage to heal, Kakashi-sensei."

"Fine. Just warm it up first – could you?"

She grinned at him and placed a large dollop of the ice-cold cream on his side. He flinched. She smiled wider. "It doesn't work as well if it's warmed Sensei."

He glared at her and pushed down the creepy feeling when the damaged skin seemed to squirm with a life all its own. Sakura closed the container once she saw the ointment had soaked into Kakashi's skin. She reached toward him to help lower his shirt back into place and he met her green eyes.

"If I didn't know better Sakura Haruna – I'd think you enjoyed that."

She grinned mischievously. "I don't know what you're talking about."

He sighed and starting replacing the rest of his clothing. "Gather round so I can fill you in on where we're headed."

Once they were all seated around him, Kakashi took a deep breath. "Our first order of business is to go into the Village Hidden in the Mist and find the man who runs the local brothel."

"_WHAT?_" Sakura's tone matched the comical look of disbelief stretched across his face.

Kakashi scratched at the back of his head. "I don't believe I stuttered. Is there a problem, Sakura?"

Kakashi watched the konouchi look for support from the others. Her gaze fell on Naruto and the genin shrugged. "What did you expect, Sakura? Pervy-sage spent most of his time in that kind of place. It sorta makes sense that's where he'd send us."

Kakashi was pleased to see Naruto thinking through the steps logically. He'd been afraid the young man would still be too worked up over Jiraiya's death to process much of anything. Seeing Sakura staring at Naruto speechless, Kakashi moved on to the task at hand.

"Once we find the man – I need to give him a key phrase – then he'll supply me with the first item on our list."

Sakura rolled her eyes – obviously no longer speechless, the sarcasm was thick in her voice. "Oh – is _that_ all we have to do Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi narrowed his gaze dangerously – but Sai spoke before he could do more then that. "Kakashi-sensei, you cannot go into that village. Which of us are you sending in your place?"

Kakashi turned his gaze to the quiet boy – finding his resemblance to Sasuke more then a bit disturbing – but knowing his training in Root would be invaluable in the days to come. The young ninja had a smile stretched across his face – a look that was highly inappropriate considering what he'd just said.

"Why can't Kakashi-sensei go? That makes no sense, Sai!" Naruto was glaring at his teammate.

Sai turned toward Naruto and continued smiling. "If you are too dense to figure it out – why would I tell you - you pansy?"

"I'll show you dense!" Naruto lunged for Sai – but was brought up short by Sakura's firm grip on his collar.

Something told Kakashi this was a normal exchange between the three of them. He sighed and looked around the gathering. He had two choices – he could go into the Mist Village himself – knowing he'd be targeted by every holder of a Bingo book within the entire area . . . or he could send two of his team in and hope they didn't get themselves killed while attempting to finish the task. Kakashi didn't particularly like either option – but he was starting to get the feeling that this was going to be the norm for this entire mission.

He looked over the group once more to try and select the best pair to send. Naruto caught his attention by walking over and staring at him with his arms crossed. Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"Is there something I can help you with Naruto?"

"Kakashi-sensei, _Sai_ is being an ass again – so can _you_ tell me why you can't go into the Mist Village?"

Kakashi scratched at the back of his neck. "Well, Naruto, you should know the reason already."

Naruto frowned and gave one of those 'not you too!' looks. Kakashi held back the urge to laugh and smiled encouragingly instead. "Naruto – do you remember your first mission outside of the Hidden Leaf? The one in the Land of Waves that turned into an A-ranked mission?"

Naruto scratched the top of his blond hair . . . and just as Kakashi was about to remind the young man about the details, Naruto's face transformed with a radiant smile.

"I remember! That was the old bridge builder, right?"

Kakashi nodded. Naruto's expression grew darkly serious. "That's when we fought Zabuza and Haku, isn't it?"

Again, Kakashi nodded – but remained silent – letting Naruto work it out in his own mind. "Zabuza and Haku were from the Village Hidden in the Mist, weren't they?"

Kakashi smiled. "Yes, Naruto."

The blond-haired genin frowned. "Zabuza said you were at the top of the list in Mist's Bingo books."

"That's right Naruto – which is why it would be better for all of us if I didn't let myself be seen in that village if it can be avoided."

Naruto met his eyes. "What would happen if you were seen there, Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi raised his eyebrow. "Naruto – you already know what would happen . . . if they didn't kill me outright – they'd capture me and torture me until I died."

Naruto swallowed – and then whispered. "Then let me go – please, Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi smiled sadly at the young man. "Naruto – no offense – but I'd stick out less then you in that place. No – I've decided to send Shikamaru and Neji instead."

Shikamaru's face twisted into a look of horror for the briefest moment – but then he sighed. "I suppose that actually makes sense – although I'm not looking forward to how troublesome this is likely to be."

Kakashi met the chunin's gaze. "You and I are the only ones who know what needs to be asked and what needs to be received. I can't afford to have anyone else share that information, Shikamaru, can I?"

Shikamaru's eyes shifted down to the ground for a split-second before rising to meet Kakashi's harsh stare. "No, Kakashi-sensei, I suppose not. Neji and I should head out soon to reach the village by nightfall."

Kakashi nodded. "You'll both need to move swiftly once you've obtained the item. There's no telling how loyal our contact was to Jiraiya – and we can't afford to lose time so early in this mission – understood?"

Neji and Shikamaru nodded and then headed toward the road leading to the Hidden Mist Village. Kakashi watched them go and hoped they'd manage without incident. He turned back to the remaining group.

"What do you say we do some chakra training while we're waiting?"

The entire group groaned – but five minutes later, they were all ensconced in a series of exercises designed to keep even a jonin's level of chakra-flow at its maximum efficiency. It almost was enough to keep Kakashi from worrying about Shikamaru and Neji – almost.

--

* * *

Shikamaru's first order of business was to obtain clothing that would help him and Neji blend into the Village Hidden in the Mist a bit more then their current attire. Nothing screamed 'outsider' more then his chunin uniform or even Neji's less obvious attire – particularly when their Leaf insignias were visible. He contemplated their options. There were surely stores within the village that would serve the purpose – but getting to them would negate the whole purpose of obtaining the outfits in the first place. So that option was out.

There were a few houses scattered about the outskirts of the village. One of those – he decided – would likely prove to be their best bet. Shikamaru turned toward Neji – who was squatting next to him on the branch of the tree they would hidden in.

"Neji – I need you to scan the houses lying at the fringes of the village for one that seems empty of people. We need to find new outfits if there is to be any chance for us to walk through that village without the trouble of being labeled Leaf shinobi."

Neji nodded and activated his Byakugan. "There's a small house to the far north of the village that should serve our purpose. There's a clothes line in the backyard which has a wide selection of clothing easily within reach. There is currently no one at that house to see what we do."

Shikamaru looked through the canopy of leaves toward the sky. The clouds in this part of the country just weren't the same as those back at the Leaf Village – and he found they did nothing to relieve the tension growing in his shoulders. He sighed and faced Neji once more.

"Although it's troublesome that we need to take the time to acquire the clothing – it should help us complete the remainder of the mission far quicker. Let's move."

With that the two Leaf shinobi made their way to the targeted house – being especially careful that they weren't being observed. Shikamaru thanked Kakashi silently for having the foresight to include Neji Hyuga in their team. It made the chances of being unknowingly observed drastically reduced.

An hour later found Neji and Shikamaru walking casually into the Village Hidden in the Mist disguised as two travelers looking for a good time. Within half an hour of their arrival they'd found the local brothel and made quick work of locating the establishment's owner.

The man was roughly Kakashi's age – but beyond that – all similarities with the Copy-ninja ended. This man was a good head shorter then Kakashi and his body was half again as wide. He wasn't fat – so much as solid. His Dark eyes held a wariness in them that spoke volumes for how little he actually trusted those frequenting his business – even though his greeting to the two when they walked through the brightly painted door into the dimly lit interior was full of laughter and smiles.

"Ah – welcome! And what brings two fine young men in off the streets on such a beautiful night? Perhaps you are in need of working out some kinks in your body today?"

The tone and inflection the man placed on certain words made it clear to the men _exactly_ what services the establishment was offering without him coming right out and saying it. Shikamaru hoped his discomfort wasn't showing on his face while he brought to mind the exact phrasing the clues from the Icha Icha books wanted him to us.

"I've come to untie a knot caused by too much haste."

The man's eyes narrowed but his smile stayed firmly in place. He looked Neji and Shikamaru up and down for a few more moments before motioning them towards a side room.

"I believe I have just what you need to cure what ails you for certain."

Neji glanced toward Shikamaru and raised his eyebrows slightly. Shikamaru's barely perceptible nod was all the sign he needed to give the other to relay the fact that this was the response they wanted to receive to know the man accepted the coded reference. They followed the owner into a curtained room and waited while he crossed to the far wall. The man looked over his shoulder – whether to make certain they were still there – or to be sure no one else followed was unclear – but he then kneeled on the floor and lifted a section of the flooring up. He reached into the newly revealed recess and pulled a small wrapped item out.

The hiding spot was re-covered and then the man stood and quickly walked to their side once more. His face was no longer sporting the false smile he'd greeted them with. His expression matched the distrust his eyes held right along, but he still handed the package to Shikamaru.

"You aren't who I expected to come retrieve this thing, kid. But you know the code – so can I assume the Copy ninja is nearby?"

Shikamaru's expression remained neutral as he answered, although he did notice Neji's eyes narrowed at the mention of Kakashi. "You may assume anything you wish."

The man frowned. "What is it with you folk and your non-answers? That Jiraiya may have been jovial – but he never gave me a straight answer about anything for as long as I've known him either."

Shikamaru and Neji tensed slightly at mention of the Toad Sage – but neither responded. The man shrugged, placed his hands behind his back and tipped his head to the side. "Aren't you going to open it?"

Shikamaru glanced down at the wrapped object. The unmistakable seal of Jiraiya was undisturbed – as was the marking showing this was indeed the first piece of the puzzle and that only Kakashi could open it safely.

Shikamaru allowed a small grin to stretch across his lips. "You already know that I can't."

The man chuckled. "Part of me hoped you'd try. Jiraiya was very clear on what to do with you if you tried." He brought his hands back into view with a lethal-looking dagger in his grip. He twirled the weapon in his fingers and returned it to a sheath at his waist. "Oh well . . . guess all that's left is my payment then."

Shikamaru placed the newly acquired item in a pouch at his waist and reached into his pocket. He pulled an envelope out and handed it to the man. He'd wondered why Kakashi handed it to him last night. He should have known better then to doubt the jonin.

The grin widened on the man's face as he opened the envelope and saw what was inside it. He quickly resealed it and placed it inside his shirt pocket, blushing slightly as he did so. Shikamaru would need to question Kakashi about the 'payment' later – but for now he'd be content with having succeeded in the first step of their mission.

Shikamaru sighed and addressed the man once more. "Do you have somewhere for us to wait?"

The owner nodded approvingly and motioned over to a bench along the other wall. "Have a seat. You'll need to stay here at least an hour to avoid raising suspicions from the villagers."

Neji frowned. "Why an hour?"

The owner laughed while Shikamaru sighed and responded. "Any longer and it'll look strange that we didn't stay the whole night. . . and any less time and we'd ruin this man's hard-earned reputation."

Shikamaru moved to the bench – eventually he was joined by Neji. The owner went back out to the main room and left them to wait. Neji instantly activated his Byakugan to watch the man discreetly, and ensure they were not going to be betrayed. Once again – Shikamaru thanked Kakashi's insight for including Neji on this mission.

--

* * *

Kakashi sat on the tree limb and watched over his sleeping companions. He hated the danger he was placing each of them in, but there really was no other option. A noise to the right caught and held his attention - and he watched for its cause. He loosened his grip on his kunai once he recognized Neji and Shikamaru's chakra signatures while they approached the camp from above.

His shoulders relaxed ever so slightly at the realization that the two were still alive. With luck, they'd also been successful – but there was only one way to tell that.

Kakashi waited until the two jumped down to the clearing and then he landed just in front of them, his hands shoved in his pockets and his visible eye half-lidded. "Yo."

Shikamaru nodded and Neji frowned slightly. Kakashi glanced at their newly acquired outfits. "I see fashion in the Mist is still sorely lacking."

"It was better then being skewered before taking two steps beyond the gate, Kakashi-sensei." Shikamaru ignored Kakashi's amused reaction and reached into his pouch to pull out the small wrapped bundle. He placed it into Kakashi's hands.

"Well – that's one down." He saw the seal and smiled sadly. Jiraiya must have been planning this for some time if he'd gone to such extremes to ensure only he could use the items - even if someone else got a hold of them. Kakashi placed the bundle into his pouch and moved to walk back to where the others still slept.

Neji's voice caused him to stop. "Kakashi-sensei, aren't you going to open it?"

Kakashi glanced back over his shoulder at the young Hyuga. "Why waste Jiraiya's handiwork? This way – if something happens to me along the way the enemy still can't use the items easily."

Seeing the look of disagreement covering Neji's face, Kakashi shrugged and continued his explanation. "Besides – we already know that the items can't be used until ever single one is obtained – there's no point in opening them until that time."

He turned back toward the others. "You should have some food – we'll be moving on in about an hour."

With that – Kakashi jumped back up into the trees and watched the two make their way to sit and share the rations - while he returned to watch over them all and contemplate the next move. All in all – this first step had gone smoothly. He hoped the remaining tasks would be as successful – but somehow he doubted they would be.

--

* * *

Obito stalked the halls of the Akatsuki's main hideout and thought about his meeting with Kakashi. He'd known his old teammate wouldn't be thrown of guard at his arrival – what he hadn't known was what that meeting would do to himself. Old wounds thought healed were ripped raw at the sight of the jonin's face. And worse – old memories flooded back – not just of his abandonment – but of the times shared before that fateful day.

Sitting in Kakashi's room, waiting for the encounter to occur, allowed Obito time to think back on the numerous times in the past that he and the silver-haired Kakashi had spent hours cleaning and sharpening their weapons on the floor of that room. How the two were closer to rivals then friends – but how they had spent endless hours talking about their futures and their plans.

"_Stop dwelling on things that were never meant to be."_

Obito flinched at the words that slid through his mind like a carress. He whispered a reply into the empty hall – knowing full well that the other would hear him. "I'm not dwelling. I'm simply remembering what once was."

"_To what end? You cannot change the choices made – not now – not ever. We've come too far, and have too much left to do – together, Obito."_

Obito bowed his head at the words. "I know that, Madara."

"_Good. Then prepare yourself for the inevitable conclusion to your relationship with Kakashi Hatake. I will not accept that he will stop us any more then I accepted my supposed defeat by his father's hands. Is that clear, Obito?"_

Obito raised his head and allowed Madara's confidence and energy to flow through his shared body once more – much as it had when they first merged so long ago when Madara rescued his shattered body.

"It is clear, Madara. I will not fail you."

"_Good. Now let's return to the others and plan for Hatake's death."_

Obito made no response – instead moving to where the others were gathered and waiting for him.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

When Plans Go Wrong

Kakashi rolled his shoulders to work the kinks out. He'd been crammed into this alcove for over an hour, and the position his body was in was less than desirable. He resisted the urge to sigh – knowing the sound would draw the attention of any number of shinobi milling about in the room just beyond his hiding place. He should have known something would go wrong this time around.

He couldn't believe how lucky they'd been up to this point. After all – they'd already managed to collect three of the items left behind by Jiraiya with only a few minor scrapes to show for it. Still – if Kakashi was a betting man – he would have laid odds that the streak of luck was overdue to break. And sure enough – it just had to break while _he_ was working solo.

Kakashi never particularly liked the Land of Grass – something about the large open expanses of fields always put him on edge. Give him the comforting shade of a tree any day over the acres of tall grasses and streams. But Jiraiya's hiding places didn't give him any options – and this particular location required more stealth than any of his companions held. After all – Shikamaru, Sai and Neji were already off collecting another of the puzzle pieces – so they weren't an option. Naruto – never being terribly subtle - would probably have burst into this building with a dozen shadow clones and demanded the artifact be retrieved immediately. While Sakura would have been distracted by the ever-present slave trade within the village and would have wanted to free all those innocent folk instead of fulfilling the job.

Still – he would have preferred either of those scenarios over the current one. Kakashi was not in the habit of hiding from the enemy – but he couldn't risk injury or capture when they were so close to completing the mission – so he secreted himself into the alcove when a group of Grass shinobi entered from across the room.

Thankfully they were preoccupied – so none of them noticed his presence. Still – he couldn't help but wonder at the timing of their arrival. Kakashi had been about to retrieve the next item from a spot in the floor when the others approached. Now, over an hour later, and they were still there.

Kakashi frowned and knew he'd have to do something soon – otherwise he'd miss the rendezvous time with the others, and they'd likely rush in to find him and get them all killed. That was _not_ going to happen if he could help it. He paused to stretch his senses out a bit farther and verify that it was still the same six shinobi that initially entered. Confident that nothing had changed, Kakashi pushed his headband up to expose the sharingan and quietly unfolded himself from the alcove – retrieving a kunai as he moved.

The skill level of the Grass shinobi was immediately apparent when more than one of them noticed his

arrival. Just his luck that this was a meeting place for jonin. But it couldn't be helped – and he had to prevent any of them from leaving and alarming the village of his presence.

Fortunately for him – Kakashi was easily identifiable – and the moment of shocked recognition was enough to give him the edge. Added to his finely honed skills, this moment of hesitation on the enemy's part allowed Kakashi to transport directly into the middle of their group and immobilize four out of the six before the shock of his presence wore off. The two remaining, however, were not so easy to take out.

The Grass shinobi jumped out of the way of Kakashi's kicks and regrouped a short distance away, glaring at him while pulling out their own weapons. The taller of the two – a man of a similar height to Kakashi – with a wicked scar crossing his left jaw, circling his neck, and disappearing below the collar of his shirt – glared at him with golden eyes.

"To what do we owe this honor, Copy-ninja?" His words were thick and raspy – likely an affect effect of the scar-causing injury.

Kakashi smiled behind his mask. "Do I need a reason to visit?"

The shorter man scowled and lifted his kunai even with his dark brown eyes. His short orange hair barely moved when he shook his head. "I find it difficult to believe, Kakashi Hatake, that you do _anything_ without a reason for it."

That caused him to chuckle – which in turn caused the Grass ninja to tense. "I'm honored that you think I put so much thought into my actions."

The scarred man spoke again. "If this conversation were taking place in one of the meadows surrounding the village I might believe otherwise, Copy-ninja. But I doubt you'll be able to convince us here, considering you've already dispatched two-thirds of our gathering."

"Oh – that – what can I say? I must have been a bit over enthusiastic with my greeting." Kakashi narrowed his eyes when the two shifted their weight.

The orange-haired man snarled. "Then perhaps it's time for _us _to greet _you_!"

Before the last word was out of the man's mouth, both Grass ninjas went into action – going to either side of Kakashi in an attempt to catch him in a cross attack. He sighed at their predictability, and waited until the very last moment before springing into the air and out of their paths. The two scrambled to keep from impaling each other when their intended target disappeared.

Kakashi watched them twist out of each others way and reposition themselves to take into account his current position. Although not as skilled as some of his past opponents, he was impressed by how quickly they recovered. He needed this be to over before either of them decided they should call in reinforcements.

Besides – he still needed to retrieve Jiraiya's item and get back to the others before sundown. Kakashi sighed. When did his life get this complicated? He pushed the thought aside and concentrated on the two in front of him. Lifting his hands into a familiar hand-sign, Kakashi created two shadow clones and while they attacked the Grass ninjas, he moved in a flash to where he needed to open the floor. All chances at subtlety were gone – and Kakashi didn't hesitate to concentrate chakra into his fist and pound it into the floor – the sound of splintering wood blending in with the clash of kunai behind him.

Kakashi reached into the revealed nook and secured the exposed item into his pouch. Resisting the urge to join in the ongoing fight between clones and Grass, he raised his hands and triggered his teleportation jutsu to land just outside the village. His clones would buy him enough time to put some distance between himself and the ninjas, but now there was no doubt that this village would shortly be sending search parties out to scour the surrounding area for him. His mission was about to become all the more dangerous because of that, and the added risk toward his companions was something he didn't like.

Kakashi headed at top speed toward where he knew his team would be waiting. They wouldn't have the luxury of discussing next steps this time around – but he was confident they would understand his urgency. So when he was halfway to his goal, the last thing he expected was to be ambushed by the Akatsuki – although in hindsight – the way today was going – he should have expected it.

"You're losing your touch, Kakashi Hatake..._hmm_?"

The taunting sound of Deidara's voice rang through the air, reminding Kakashi of the last time he met up with the blond-haired freak – when Jiraiya's life was forfeited. He growled low in his throat while sending a flurry of shuriken into the sky where the black and red robed man was perched atop one of his clay constructs.

The string of curses from the younger man brought a grin to Kakashi's mouth – but he knew from experience that this enemy seldom traveled solo – so he wasn't surprised when the fireball came his way. Obviously Itachi was somewhere nearby, and he knew that it would mean Kisame wouldn't be far behind.

Kakashi just finished the hand seals for his substitution jutsu when Kisame's massive blade came down to hit him. He watched the look of smug satisfaction on the blue-skinned behemoth change to anger when he sliced through a bundle of tall grass instead of Kakashi's body. But he didn't have time to enjoy the reaction while Deidara and Itachi were still in play.

A moment later and a dozen small bird-like projectiles rained down on him, exploding when they were within range. The bursts of flame singed Kakashi's arms and neck while he darted to the side to avoid their full contact, and he had to admit the combined attacks of the three Akatsuki members would likely have taken out a less skilled shinobi.

Fortunately – Kakashi was not in that category – so he was ready when Itachi sent a series of flame tongues his way. He knew the goal was to herd him toward Kisame, and keeping this in mind, Kakashi vaulted into the air, twisting his body to land to the side of the two partners. He just regained his balance when he felt the heat from another series of fireballs heading at him from the sidelines.

Kakashi dodged these as well – skidding to a stop and trying to find the latest attacker. His chest tightened when he watched Obito step into view – letting loose a barrage of shuriken in his direction. Kakashi dropped to the ground, narrowly avoiding the sharp metal stars. Now at least he knew who had paired up with Deidara since Sasori was taken out.

There was a pause in the attacks as Kakashi's former teammate removed his whirlpool mask. "Is that the best you can do, Kakashi? How disappointing."

Kakashi stood back up and narrowed his eyes – knowing that Obito was trying to taunt him into making a mistake. He pushed down all the raw emotions that boiled up from the pit of his stomach – emotions that he hadn't faced in years – and focused on what mattered...he needed to escape from this fight and get back to his mission. Time was running out.

Kakashi's hands became a blur of hand seals and he thrust his fist into the ground, causing a fissure to run the length of the field heading straight for Obito. The two Uchiha's countered with seals of their own, and Kakashi found himself in the crossfire of two fire dragons aimed straight for his heart.

His eyes went wide and he frantically completed another series of seals, raising a circular wall of water just in time to intercept the flaming beasts' attacks.

-- --

* * *

Obito had to admit he was impressed with his former teammate's abilities. He wouldn't have thought to bring up the circular water wall to negate both attacks at once...that was brilliant. And Kakashi was able to hold off four of the Akatsuki single-handed...a feat that was unheard of until now. Still, he couldn't let that keep him from finishing the task.

"_That's right, Obito. Focus on what matters. Finish the Hatake brat!"_

Madara's voice ignited the fire of revenge within Obito's soul. Revenge against someone he'd once counted as a friend...and who had abandoned him without another thought. He harnessed that rage and formed the hand seals that would finish the man once and for all.

But when the water wall collapsed under the assault of the two fire dragons in a sizzling cloud of steam, Kakashi Hatake was nowhere to be seen. He heard Itachi curse the man from across the clearing. Once the steam cloud dissipated – the two Uchiha's walked forward to see how Kakashi had escaped. A large hole in the ground gave them the answer for how the Copy-ninja managed to slip through their fingers – an earth jutsu.

Obito sighed in frustration...and that frustration only increased when he heard Madara's voice once more echoing in his mind.

"_That was pathetic! And worse than that – you fool – you let him escape again!"_

Itachi knelt at the edge of the hole – inspecting the area carefully. "He's been injured. By the amount of blood it is a significant wound. We will be able to track him."

Obito placed his mask back on and motioned for the others to spread out. The sooner they located Kakashi's exit point – the sooner they would be able to trail the Copy-ninja – and the sooner he'd be able to erase the man from his life forever!

-- --

* * *

Kakashi's breath caught in his throat when he landed wrong on a tree branch – something he hadn't done since he was fourteen. A shock of pain ripped through his left shoulder and the world tipped sharply to the side. He stretched his right hand out to steady himself against the trunk of the tree and waited for the world to stop moving. After a moment it did – and he moved his right hand over his left shoulder and found the cause of his discomfort.

A low hiss escaped Kakashi's lips when he gripped the shuriken buried in his shoulder and pulled it loose. With the adrenaline running through his body during the attack, he hadn't noticed the injury at all. He took a moment and assessed the rest of his body. He had burns and scratches – and he found one more shuriken embedded in his lower back – not as deep as the shoulder wound – but deep enough. He chuckled. Evidently Obito's aim had improved since they were on Team Minato together.

A large shadow passed overhead and Kakashi cursed his luck. It had to be one of Deidara's constructs. Which, in turn, meant they were already on his trail. _Dammit...this isn't how it was supposed to go._

He didn't have time to dress his wounds properly – so he placed a basic field dressing in place and was on the move in moments. Each landing on the ground or tree branch sent a wave of pain coursing through his body and he knew he wouldn't be able to keep the pace up for long. Meanwhile, he needed to think of what his next step should be. Did he really want to lead four members of the Akatsuki toward his team? Could he risk the possibility of them getting their hands on the remainder of the items from Jiraiya? And more to the point – could he risk them getting a hold of Naruto?

Kakashi skidded to a stop. He bit his thumb and made the hand seals that were as natural as breathing to him, and slammed his palm to the ground. A moment later, and Pakkun was staring up into his face.

"Yo – Kakashi." The pug tipped his head to the side and frowned. "What's happened to you this time?"

Kakashi smiled and shrugged – regretting the move when it caused his shoulder wound to flare to life. "No time to fill you in Pakkun. I've got four Akatsuki on my trail and I need this to get to Shikamaru."

Kakashi pulled the small package out of his pouch and tied it to the back of Pakkun's collar. "You'll find the team thirty clicks north-northeast. Don't let anyone follow you."

Pakkun let out a small growl. "Who are you talking to, Kakashi? You know I won't be followed."

Kakashi chuckled and scratched the pug behind his ears, causing the small dog to close his eyes in pleasure. "I know, I know - sorry. I'll be drawing the others in the opposite direction to give you a head start. Tell Shikamaru we've moved on to Plan Five-B. He'll understand. Now – head out."

Pakkun met Kakashi's eyes and whimpered. "Are you going to be okay, pup?"

Kakashi sighed and stood up slowly. "You know me, Pakkun. I'll be fine."

The pug shook his head. "I _do_ know you, Kakashi...that's why I asked."

Kakashi scratched at the back of his head. "Heh...well, don't worry about me, Pakkun. Now get going. I'm counting on you."

Kakashi watched Pakkun head off, and then he started out in his attempt to keep the Akatsuki from acquiring the items _or_ Naruto. If he could just manage to keep Obito and the others from catching up with him until Pakkun reached Shikamaru, then they all might yet get through this mission alive.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

A Brush With Death

"So where the hell is he?" Naruto's voice echoed in the small room.

Not for the first time, Shikamaru wondered if his friend would ever learn the meaning of the word covert. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Naruto – this is Kakashi-sensei we're talking about. He's only two hours late. Don't worry quite yet."

He watched the genin frown and cross his arms dejectedly. The blond mumbled his response as he turned his head toward the wall. "Don't tell me what to do."

Shikamaru shook his head at the comment and switched his attention to the others in his group. Neji was positioned at the window of the small house they were holed up in at the edge of the Grass-held lands – using his Byakugan to scan the surroundings for any sign of trouble. Sai was sitting against the far wall, his attention fully on the notebook he was drawing in. Sakura looked between himself and Naruto and frowned. She clenched her hands into fists and walked over to where Shikamaru was standing.

Her bright green eyes held the edges of worry and as she pushed her hair behind her ear, Shikamaru had a feeling he already knew what she was going to say. Her quiet voice held the underlying fear that he'd already read in her eyes.

"Shikamaru – you know as well as I do, that when he's on a mission, Kakashi-sensei is _never_ late."

He sighed and looked back toward where Neji was standing. "I know that, Sakura. But admitting it to Naruto would only make him _more_ troublesome. Kakashi wouldn't want the knucklehead running around with a dozen clones trying to find him. And you _know_ that's just what he'd do."

Sakura closed her eyes and Shikamaru saw her shoulders sag slightly at his words. "I know, Shikamaru...but I also know that Kakashi is never this late on a mission."

Neji's voice interrupted them. "There's movement heading toward us."

Sakura's eyes opened and her face transformed into one of hope. "Is it Kakashi-sensei?"

Neji shook his head. "No – It's one of his nin-hounds."

Naruto moved over to the window just as the small brown pug jumped up onto the sill. "Pakkun!"

The small dog looked out of breath but he took a moment to acknowledge the boy. "Naruto – how's it going?"

The grin that had covered his face slipped slightly. "Not so good Pakkun. Have you seen Kakashi-sensei?"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes. Obviously the summon had seen Kakashi...otherwise he wouldn't _be_ here in the first place. The pug chuckled at Naruto's comment.

"Kid – if I hadn't seen Kakashi, why the heck would I have run all this way to find you?"

Naruto blushed a little in embarrassment. "Oh yeah."

Pakkun jumped down from the sill and padded over to where Shikamaru was standing. He sat and tipped his head to one side. "Message from Kakashi is to follow Plan Five-B."

"Shit." The word escaped Shikamaru's lips before he could stop it, and now he had all four of his teammates – Sai included – staring at him with concern.

Neji moved to his side. "What's it mean Shikamaru?"

He sighed and knelt next to the pug, removing the small package tied to his collar before addressing the others. "It means Kakashi-sensei has encountered a delay and won't be able to join us in retrieving the final piece."

"What?!?" Naruto's volume was back to its previous gusto. "What the hell's _that_ supposed to mean?"

Shikamaru awkwardly patted Pakkun's head and then stood up to face the genin. "It means exactly what I said, Naruto. Kakashi is letting us know he finished his part of the mission and will meet up with us after we retrieve the final piece."

Sakura's voice at his side made Shikamaru cringe a little. "You mean to say he's run into trouble and doesn't want any help from us."

Shikamaru rubbed at the back of his head. "Yeah – well you know what Kakashi-sensei is like."

She frowned. "Yeah – I do. That doesn't mean I have to like it."

Shikamaru shrugged. "Me either – but we do have to follow through with the mission."

The others lowered their heads, but none of them disagreed with his words.

-- --

* * *

Kakashi continued running long after his body was telling him to stop. His goal ... to bring the Akatsuki as far away from where the team would be heading next. Of course, the fact that Obito was likely to kill him once he caught up may have had something to do with his refusal to stop as well.

He ran scenarios through his mind while he fled – he was nearing the border of Grass and Earth, and would soon have more cover, but his options were still limited. There was no point in wasting the time and chakra for shadow clones – not with _two_ sharingan users in pursuit. The numbers of pursuers and their varied means of attack ruled out the use of his own Mangekyo sharingan as well – it simply took him too long to activate it – especially when he had no one with him to cover him during the task – and he still wasn't accurate enough with the ability to guarantee he'd hit what he wanted to. Besides – even if he managed to take out one or two of the others – that still left two more after him – and his dwindling chakra levels would be seriously depleted with the use of that technique. His Chidori might work against Kisame – but it would be easily avoided by the two Uchihas – and not too effective on Deidara while he was in the air.

As if summoned by thoughts of him – the bomb-wielder sent another barrage of clay bugs showering down around Kakashi. He did his best to avoid them – but Kakashi's reactions were starting to slow – and he wasn't able to get out of the way of three of them. Two exploded at his back – causing him to stagger forward...right into the third explosion – which hit him across his outstretched arms – burning away his shirt sleeves and damaging the revealed skin from his elbows to his wrists.

"Finally got you...hmm?" Deidara's voice taunted him from above.

Kakashi pushed past the severe pain of his damaged arms and formed the necessary hand signs to send a towering wall of earth jutting into the sky between himself and the annoying blond. He heaved a sigh of relief when he heard the string of curses from above while Deidara tried to veer away from the sudden obstacle. Kakashi pushed himself a bit faster toward the beckoning rock formations of Earth Country. At least once he made it there, he'd be able to slip within the cracks and fissures and duck under the many overhanging shelves of rock to avoid the attacks from above.

The wind whipped across Kakashi's burnt arms and he felt like he was being flayed alive, but it was surely better than the alternatives. He stretched his awareness behind him in an attempt to sense his pursuers chakra signatures and cursed to himself at how close they were. At this rate they'd catch up to him soon.

Kakashi had to admit to himself that he wasn't going to be able to avoid the confrontation – and decide how best to meet them. If he kept running, he'd meet them exhausted, with no chance to fight back. But if he stopped now, he'd only be somewhat exhausted – with a damn good chance of taking out at least one or more of them before they finished him off. Not the best of choices – but then again – this was most definitely _not_ one of his lucky days.

His decision made – Kakashi continued running forward – quickly forming a series of hand signs he'd learned years ago in this very country. Just as he was forming that final sign, he skidded to a stop and turned back toward where he knew Kisame, Itachi and Obito were tracking him down. He slammed his palm into the ground and channeled his chakra into the final jutsu. The deafening sound of rock scraping against rock could be heard for miles when the ground pitched violently – causing giant fissures to form and enormous boulders to push up out of the ground and then tumble back to the earth – destroying everything in their path.

Kakashi waited for the results – gasping for air from the extreme stress that particular jutsu placed on his chakra system. For the briefest moment he actually thought perhaps he'd succeeded in destroying the Akatsuki members on his trail – but then he heard an unbelievably loud roar and rushing sound seconds before a jet of high pressured water pierced through the jumble of boulders and rocks aiming straight for him. Obviously at least Kisame survived.

Kakashi scrambled up the toppled boulders in an attempt to avoid the crushing current of water – and barely managed to escape the mouth of a fire-dragon aimed for his head. His hands were already halfway through the needed signs before the thought fully formed in his mind – but a moment later Kakashi used Kisame's water to form a water dragon to do battle with the beast of fire. Meanwhile his awareness picked up two things – first, Deidara was swiftly winging back into the picture, and second, the Uchihas were making their way toward him across the boulders. Kakashi's breathing was getting more uneven as the battle continued – a small part of his mind recognized the signs of shock starting to settle in from the extreme burns on his arms and the blood loss from the previous shuriken wounds. This was _not_ turning out how he'd hoped.

More clay bombs sailed through the air toward him – no – not _toward_ him..._around _him. Shit! He'd forgotten one very important fact about Deidara during this battle...the blond 'artist' was _from_ Earth Country. He probably knew these rocks and their properties better than the back of his hand – a point which was driven home when the small, controlled explosions all around Kakashi caused very precise fissures across the boulder he was perched on, which made the surface disintegrate under his feet in a matter of milliseconds – not allowing him any opportunity to push off the surface. It took barely a heartbeat for his legs to be pulled downward by the pulverized granite. In less than four seconds, Kakashi was trapped up to his waist in the remains of the boulder – his arms pinned at his sides.

Before he had any further chance to attempt escape, he watched Obito seemingly flicker out of sight and then appear again behind him in the same instant. This was nothing like the body flicker jutsu he's used himself over the years – no – this was as though the man was literally in both places at the same time. A shiver ran up Kakashi's spine when the realization that this had to be the final stage of Obito's sharingan. So much for the hope that the Uchiha hadn't progressed that far.

Obito's warm breath across Kakashi's ear made his heart clench almost as much as the words coming from his former teammate's mouth. "It's somehow fitting, Kakashi Hatake, that your life will end in the same land where you abandoned me for dead."

"We were at war, Obito...we didn't know you were still alive..."

Kakashi's hair was gripped tightly and his head was pulled back until his throat was exposed to Obito's kunai. His ex-teammate's face was twisted with raw emotion. "I don't _care_ about the war, you bastard! It shouldn't have stopped you from coming back for me, dammit!"

Kakashi noticed Obito's eye cloud for a moment – and he looked as though he were listening to someone. Then his face seemed to relax and the eye held a cold, calculating glare.

"You damn Hatake's have always made your own rules – but this time no amount of rules can save your pitiful life!"

Kakashi felt the cold edge of the kunai press into his flesh and begin its journey across his neck – drawing blood in its wake. He had just closed his eyes and resigned himself to his death when that blade was pulled away from his skin. His confusion grew when he heard Obito's voice.

"How _dare_ you!?! Take your hand off of me and let me finish what I started."

"I'm afraid I cannot do that. It has come to our attention that Kakashi Hatake will provide us with our best means of obtaining the final jinchuriki."

Was that _Pein's_ voice? Kakashi's guess was proven correct when he opened his eyes and the red-headed, pierced man stepped into his line of sight – never releasing his hold on Obito's wrist.

"Your thirst for revenge will need to wait until we have obtained the final element of our plan."

Obito snarled. "I don't give a damn about your pathetic goal, Pein. I will _not_ let you take this moment from me...we've waited too long for this day!"

Pein released Obito's wrist and somehow propelled the dark-haired man away from them. "You can have him once we have finished using him to attain our goal."

Kakashi heard the string of curses thrown from Obito, but his focus was now entirely on the man in front of him. He addressed Pein with a voice still tight from his close brush with death.

"I won't help you track down Naruto."

Pein turned his black and white eyes toward Kakashi and tipped his head to one side. "We have no intention of asking for your help, Kakashi Hatake. On the contrary – you're very presence will be enough to lure the nine-tailed brat to us."

Kakashi tensed at his words – knowing that they held truth in them. Itachi and Kisame joined them – the Mist ninja leering down at him. "What are you planning on doing to him to keep him docile, Pein?"

Kakashi thought he saw Pein's lip twitch before he responded. "A few well-placed chakra rods will keep the great Copy-ninja in his place."

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "Allowing you to tap into his reserves while you are waiting for Naruto to show – how industrious of you."

Pein's eyes shifted to the Uchiha and Kakashi noticed Itachi tense under that gaze. "It would be foolish to waste the opportunity."

Obito stepped in front of Kakashi and knelt until their sharingan eyes were level. "I suppose that if my revenge must be delayed, I can at least take comfort from the fact the torture you will go through under Pein's skillful hands will make even you beg for death."

Kisame chuckled. "You shouldn't spoil the fun for him."

Kakashi's heart raced when Pein reached into the folds of his robes and pulled out a long, thin black rod. He then stepped behind Kakashi and proceeded to push that rod deep into his shoulder. The intense burning that accompanied the pain from the penetration made Kakashi's vision swim and a scream was torn from his throat before he could even think of stopping it. Pein inserted another rod into his other shoulder and the laughter of the Akatsuki members was quickly drowned out by another of Kakashi's screams.

The rods disrupted his chakra network almost instantly, and as he watched Deidara land his bird nearby and start the signs needed to release Kakashi from his confinement in the rock, he knew he was indeed at the Akatsuki's mercy.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The Next Steps Taken

Kakashi had never felt such pain in his entire life...and _that_ was saying something. The Akatsuki members pulled him loose from the boulder and laid him onto the hard ground. Before he could manage to twitch, let alone try to escape, he was held down by the Uchihas, Kisame and Deidara. Kakashi watched Pein as he slowly walked around him. Every so often Pein would stop and lean down to insert smaller versions of the black chakra rods into various parts of Kakashi's anatomy – eliciting fresh screams each time.

Once it was over, the result was a pain-induced fog over Kakashi's mind, and the inability to keep an ounce of chakra from listening to him. Those black rods seemed to be siphoning the chakra around them and storing it so he could no longer directly access it. It made him feel like he was suffering from the worst chakra depletion of his life.

Pein moved to stand by Kakashi's head and stared down at him. "I'm afraid I may not have been entirely truthful with you, Copy-ninja, when I said we wouldn't need your help with the boy."

Kakashi glared at the young man. "Is that supposed to surprise me?"

A small smile crept onto Pein's face. "I doubt much surprises one like you Kakashi Hatake. Regardless – I feel you should know what _your_ part in the jinchuriki's capture will be."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes – finding them to be one of the few things he could still control – and pushed his words through his clenched teeth. "I already told you I won't help you."

"Ah – you may not _want_ to help – but with the addition of your _exquisite_ blend of chakra into the mix, the Kyuubi will finally succumb to the Akatsuki's plans."

Obito knelt next to Kakashi's head and grabbed a fistful of his silver hair – lifting his head off the ground in the process. His past teammate glared at him with unhidden hatred and then looked toward the red-haired youth.

"What are you saying, Pein? There's _nothing_ this fool possesses that we do not already have amongst the Akatsuki."

Pein chuckled. "On the contrary, Tobi – since the first rod was inserted into this man, I have felt the very _essence_ of Kakashi Hatake. Believe me when I tell you his chakra will make all the difference in the world over whether we succeed with extracting the Kyuubi or not."

Obito slammed Kakashi's head back onto the ground, pulling a grunt of pain from his throat. The raven-haired man glared down at him.

"Even now – Hatake!?! Even _now_ you have to prove you're better then the rest of us? Better then _me!?!_"

Kakashi's head was still swimming – and for a moment he could have sworn there were two versions of Obito staring down at him – one looking a lot like he'd looked when they shared a team – and the other looking altogether like someone else. An Uchiha – no doubt – but the stern eyes and cruel features were not at all like the Obito he knew. Perhaps it was an after effect of having his head slammed into the ground – but even after blinking a few times, the multiple versions of Obito's face remained. Maybe his sharingan was feeling the effects of the chakra drain.

Kakashi's words were barely above a whisper – the pain from the chakra rods and his injuries finally taking their toll. "Who is that with you, Obito?"

The face that Kakashi felt was the real Obito looked shocked at his words, while the other face scowled. A moment later, the two faces melded back to one...the scowl winning out over the look of shock. Even the words no longer sounder like Obito.

"It doesn't matter what you say, _Hatake_ – _you_ don't matter."

The low chuckle from Pein interrupted once more. "He may not matter to you, Tobi – but he is invaluable to our plan. Kisame – pick him up. It's time to return and make preparations for the nine-tail's extraction."

Kakashi watched Obito back away, and Kisame step forward. The blue-skinned monstrosity had a disturbing toothy grin plastered to his face as he bent down and picked Kakashi up off the ground. Kisame shifted him until he was cradled against his chest and then laughed.

"So this is how the Great Copy-Ninja will end his days...in the arms of his enemies and as useless as a newborn."

Kakashi would have sold his soul at that very moment to any demon in the underworld who would have allowed him to snap the shark-faced man's neck – but he remained unable to move – and as such, his soul remained safe. All he could do was glare weakly at the bastard – too drained to even form words of response at that moment.

He was carried in Kisame's arms back to where the Akatsuki were dwelling. The entire trip, Kakashi pushed his own predicament to the back of his mind...choosing to analyze his options instead. There had to be some way out of this mess – some way to enable him to break free from this wall-less prison...some way to keep them from using his essence to destroy Naruto. Kakashi allowed his eyes to close and turned his mind inward – trying to determine if Pein's placement of his chakra rods left any way for him to fight back. After all – he needed to be free in order to solve the rest of the riddle left behind by Jiraiya...a riddle which the Toad-sage had promised could save them all.

-- --

* * *

Shikamaru couldn't believe how smoothly the last leg of the mission went – especially considering the large role Naruto played in it. But then again, perhaps he shouldn't have been surprised, considering it had been Kakashi who suggested using the hyperactive ninja's skills in the first place. And he knew that the Copy-ninja wasn't known as a genius for nothing.

Still – when they'd first discussed having Naruto create shadow clones, and then maintain henges on them so they all looked and acted like members of the team, he'd wondered if the kid would be able to fool anyone. Shikamaru's respect for Naruto's skills rose tremendously when he witnessed first hand just how skilled the blond was with such a task.

While Naruto and his band of clones wandered through the streets of the resort town – drawing the attention of the local guards and other less honorable forces, the true Shikamaru, Neji, Sakura and Sai made their way to the temple in the center of the town. Once there, it had been a simple task to find and make contact with the monk who held that final piece of the puzzle.

This time, the small object was actually sealed within the man's abdomen – but even that proved a minor issue with a medical ninja of Sakura's skill level on the team. He smiled to himself at Kakashi's foresight when selecting the members of this team. He seemed to provide for every possible angle.

Now they were taking their rightful places alongside Naruto – sending one of Sai's ink rats ahead to signal for the exchange with the clones to start. One by one, a clone would head into an alleyway where the true members were waiting. Once there – any important information was relayed from the clone, and packages purchased were handed over, before the clones would dispatch themselves and the real team member would join the others.

All in all – it went very smoothly indeed.

Shikamaru was the last substitution needed, and when his doppleganger stepped around the corner he couldn't help but chuckle at how accurate Naruto's depiction of him was...right down to the eternally bored expression on his face.

Probably only one person in all of Konoha realized that look was one he'd schooled over the years. And that would be Kakashi Hatake...as he was who Shikamaru copied the skill from. He smirked at the thought that he'd copied the Copy-ninja. But it was a fact.

True enough – the skill had its basis on habits he'd had during his days at the Academy...when the boredom was anything but an act. But from the time Shikamaru took up the chunin vest, he'd pushed the internal laziness to the side. He kept the facade of laziness after a discussion with Asuma-sensei led him to a quiet conversation with Kakashi Hatake. During their talk, he'd learned the true value of keeping up appearances. A lazy person was usually overlooked or ignored entirely by those around him – and was generally underestimated by those who didn't know him. It was an invaluable trait to have when needing to obtain information.

Still – as time goes by, it becomes a bit harder to remember to keep the facade firmly in place. It took self-control to keep from reacting to certain people and situations – and with each day, his respect and appreciation for the Copy-ninja's skills grew.

Shikamaru glanced down at the garishly wrapped packages the clone thrust into his hands and he frowned. The clone smiled.

"Sakura has pressed you into service as her personal porter."

The real Shikamaru sighed and shifted the packages in his arms. "This could prove troublesome if we're attacked."

The clone shrugged and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Shikamaru shook his head and followed Sai's ink-rat to where the others were animatedly discussing where they'd go for dinner. Sakura fell right into her role of shopping fanatic and placed another package on the stack in his arms. He grimaced.

"Don't you think you've bought enough now, Sakura?"

She laughed at him, playing up her shopaholic persona to the maximum. "But Shikamaru – we've only gone down one side of the street."

He groaned, while the others held back their laughter. Shikamaru quickly adjusted his view of this leg of the mission from 'going smoothly' to 'troublesome' as he obediently followed the kunoichi into the next store.

Although they were all eager to meet up with Pakkun at the edges of town to have him track down Kakashi, he knew the importance of keeping up appearances until night fall. Still – he wondered at all the stacks of purchases Sakura would need to leave behind.

She sidled up beside him and smiled brightly – as though reading his mind. "There's a lovely little store at the very end of the street near where Naruto got the rooms for tonight. It will ship everything back to Konoha so it'll all be waiting for me once we finish up the mission. Brilliant – don't you think?"

Shikamaru had to smile. It actually was the perfect solution. If this kept up, he'd have to adjust his views on all the members of Team Kakashi before this task was finished. He only hoped the rest of the mission went as smoothly. A cloud drifted across the sun, shadowing the group in cool gray light. The smile left Shikamaru's face at the foreboding shiver that traveled up his spine. He knew time was running out.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Hopes and Promises

Kakashi rose to awareness very slowly – and once there, he wished he hadn't. A steady pulse could be felt traveling throughout his body, and there was a low-pitched mechanical hum that hovered at the edge of his hearing. The result was one of the worst headaches he'd had in decades – worse even than he could remember when he first received his sharingan eye.

He tried to determine if there was anyone else nearby – but without use of his chakra, and with his hearing overwhelmed by that constant hum, he just couldn't tell. Which meant, of course, he'd have to find the strength and courage to pry open his eyes and take a look around...something that was inevitably going to increase the gargantuan headache that was threatening to make him scream as it was.

Steeling himself for more pain, Kakashi slowly lifted his eyelids. But there was no increase to his headache, as the lighting was surprisingly dim where he was being kept. In fact – it was barely enough to see by. He blinked a few times to clear his vision until, at last, the room came fully into focus – or at least what he could see of the room.

There was a strong, almost antiseptic odor to the air – and for a moment Kakashi feared he was in some sort of hospital or lab. But the aroma wasn't quite that of the sterile environment he so often ended up in after a particularly violent mission. No – this smell, although still medical in nature, reminded him instead of the times he'd pulled guard duty in the morgue in the lower levels of Konoha's Hospital.

He frowned. Why was he smelling the chemicals used for embalming? Where the hell did the Akatsuki bring him? And more importantly – what the hell did they plan to do to him?

Kakashi tried to move his limbs and found them unresponsive. Fortunately he was still able to shift his head from side to side – so he used that limited mobility to try to get a better idea of where he was being kept. He could see the table he was being kept on – and again his only comparison was to the embalming stations back in the Hospital morgue. It was cold stainless steel and slanted ever so slightly toward his feet – likely to allow for ease of draining bodily fluids away. Kakashi felt a shiver run the course of his spine. He definitely didn't like the vibe of this place.

With his head turned to the left he could see the windowless steel door set into white-washed stone walls. He was perhaps eight feet away from that portal – with absolutely nothing between himself and the door...if only he could walk, that is.

With a bit of effort he twisted his head to the right to see what else was there. He felt his heart clench a bit in his chest. Beside him were more of the steel tables laid out in a long row. From his vantage point he could clearly see the body next to his – and make out the vague shapes of at least three more beyond that – although in the dim light it was difficult to tell much about those farther bodies. But the body next to his captured his full attention almost at once...it was Pein!

Or at least it certainly looked like the young red-headed boy. The only thing he was missing was the Akatsuki's trademark overcoat. There were tubes and wires connecting the still body to machines lining the wall behind him...which were likely the source to that annoying hum that was making it so difficult for him to concentrate at the moment. Kakashi watched carefully for nearly two minutes before coming to the conclusion that the body on the table was indeed not breathing.

He lifted his head off the table as far as he could – which wasn't actually all that far – and saw that at least the next table over had a similar setup of wires and tubes connecting it to the machinery. Returning his head to the table's surface, Kakashi took a moment to breathe deeply – partially to calm his growing fears – partially to convince himself that _he_ was still alive. Only then did he tip his head backward until the expected row of machinery behind him came into view. The same type of tubes and wires connected to the others were present, but thankfully they were hanging loosely from the machinery – none appeared to be connected to him at all.

Kakashi closed his eyes and tried to reason through what he'd seen. He was being kept in some sort of storage room, with at least a half dozen presumably dead bodies. At least one of those bodies – and likely more – were of someone he had very recently been speaking to face to face. He opened his eyes again and turned to look at Pein. There was no denying it – this was most _definitely_ the man who'd taken great pleasure in piercing his body with a series of black rods...the same type of rods that seemed to be riddling the pale body next to him.

His eyes narrowed. There were many more of those rods in the lifeless body than there were in him – at least for the moment. Kakashi knew better than to think that they'd leave it that way for too long. Which led his mind down another path...he knew the rods siphoned chakra – hell, he'd felt it from the moment the first one was forced into his shoulder. But would it do something similar to a dead body?

There was a firm belief in the Shinobi world that a person's chakra network remained intact long after death. No one had ever done any solid research as to how long after – but it was part of the reason that, when a ninja died in battle – particularly a strong ninja – their body was required to be destroyed as soon as humanly possible. But from what he had seen in this room it seemed someone out there had actually performed the research needed to tap into that chakra resource after all.

He felt his heart rate increase slightly. If that was true, then the next question was why..._why_ would anyone deem it practical – let alone viable – to harvest the chakra in such a way? What's more – why did they then seem to create a form in the deceased person's actual likeness? There had to be a purpose behind it...but there were too many unknown factors in this puzzle for Kakashi to fully grasp what was going on.

He closed his eyes again. The Pein he'd met out at the site of his attack seemed to act like using these rods was a normal means for him to subdue his enemy. But he'd also seemed somewhat surprised by something about Kakashi's chakra...enough so that his purpose went from being used as bait to something more. The problem was – he still had no clue just what that might be.

Kakashi sighed – the only sound of life within the room – and realized he wasn't going to find any answers as long as he was flat on his back within this place. His only hope was that the others might find some way to track him down – without being caught be the Akatsuki – and free him.

Kakashi laughed without humor. He may as well hope for his favorite scenes from Come, Come Paradise to be brought to life. He'd have about the same chance of _that_ happening, after all.

-- --

* * *

Obito stormed through the halls of the Akatsuki's hideout with no true destination in mind. He'd been so _close_ to his goal. So close to finally ridding the world of the last Hatake. So close to completing his contract with Madara that it frustrated the Uchiha to no end. Why the hell didn't he just ignore Pein and slice that bastard's throat after all? Why?!?

"_I've been wondering that myself, boy!"_

Obito stopped walking and stretched one hand out to lean against the wall. Every muscle in his body tensed at the words which resonated within his mind. He spoke softly into the empty hall.

"You were there too. Why didn't _you_ force the issue?"

"_Watch your step you insolent fool! You had the man in your hands – I was not the one who let him go!"_

Obito closed his eyes and wondered – not for the first time – if he would have been better off dying under those rocks after all. Instead – ever since the day Madara entered the picture – all he'd done was train and plot to kill someone that had helped him more than harmed him.

"_Oh – so now you aren't counting him abandoning Rin as harm?"_

"He came back for her."

"_I see. So you no longer have the desire to blaze past him? Or perhaps you truly are the spineless crybaby of the Uchiha."_

Obito cringed at having his own words thrown back at him. "It's not like that."

"_Isn't it? What happened to your vow to crush all the so-called shinobi, hmmm?"_

Obito balled his fists against his temples in frustration. "Argh...stop twisting my words!"

Madara chuckled within his mind. "_Then stop pretending that Hatake brat gives a damn about anyone but himself!"_

Obito squatted close to the ground and groaned. "This isn't what I signed up for."

"_This is _exactly_ what you signed up for you idiot! I give you a second chance at life...and you...you give me what I need to fulfill a promise made nearly three decades ago."_

Obito shook his head – trying to clear his mind and failing miserably. "Dammit – dammit – dammit! What the hell was I thinking?"

"_Heh...you were thinking that, with your new lease on life, you'd ride into Konoha and whisk the lovely Rin away to live happily ever after. Isn't that right, Obito?"_

"Stop it!" His voice grew louder now...full of anger. "Just stop it!"

"_But you can't do that – can you? Because _Kakashi Hatake_ couldn't even keep your dying wish for you, could he? He didn't even _try_ to protect the woman _you_ loved."_

Obito felt his anger twist inside his gut – shifting from the presence in his mind to the silver-haired _bastard_ that lay in the bowels of the lair. To the son of a bitch who left him behind – promising to protect Rin – _promising_!

"Argh!! He _promised_! And she's gone! I didn't even get to _see_ her again!"

"_No...you didn't...just like I never got to see my lover again thanks to that brat's father. You see, Obito...you and I are not so different after all, are we? So get your _ass_ off the floor and start thinking of a way to get past Pein's ambitious plans so we can both move on with our lives."_

Obito took one long, calming breath – then he slowly regained his feet and smoothed his Akatsuki coat out. He slid his whirlpool mask back in place over his face, and walked back the way he came. He needed to find his cousin and enlist the younger man's help in destroying Kakashi Hatake once and for all.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Unexpected Help

Shikamaru pushed himself away from the tree he'd been leaning on. Kakashi was well over half a day late for the assigned rendezvous using plan Five-B...and that could only mean one thing – the Copy-Ninja had been captured...or worse. Regardless, the only way they could possibly carry out Lord Jiraiya's plans was with Kakashi at their sides...so, as troublesome as it was likely to be...Shikamaru had no choice but to track the Copy-Ninja down and rescue him.

He tipped his head back and cursed the wispy fluff that passed for clouds in this part of the Five Countries. How was he to be expected to clear his mind enough to ponder Kakashi's whereabouts with so few proper clouds to stimulate his mind? Shikamaru sighed.

"Are you planning to stare at clouds all day kid? Or do you think I should find my pup sometime soon?"

Pakkun's gruff reminder that time was passing made Shikamaru frown...until he realized what exactly the pug had offered. He picked the dog up and held it in front of his face.

"Are you saying you can track Kakashi-sensei?"

The pug tipped his head to the side. "I didn't take you for being stupid, kid. Kakashi wouldn't trust you like he does if you were stupid."

Shikamaru frowned as he set the dog back on the ground. "Kakashi doesn't know me."

Pakkun snorted and shook his body in annoyance. "Right...whatever you say, kid."

The pug walked away from him, toward where the others were staring at them...waiting for him to make a decision. Pakkun paused and turned back to face him.

"You know what, kid? That _other_ idiot never thought Kakashi knew _him_ either..."

Shikamaru scratched at the back of his head. "Who would that be?"

Pakkun grinned at him. "Asuma."

With that, Pakkun turned back around and started walking away, leaving Shikamaru stunned for a moment. A sad smile slowly crept over his face at the dog's comparison of him and his fallen Sensei. He sighed and looked toward the others. He shoved his hands into his pockets and followed after Pakkun.

"Let's go – it's time for Pakkun to track down Kakashi-sensei."

-- --

* * *

Pein sat in his chair with his eyes closed – reaching out to check on each of his bodies. Their chakra levels remained steady – and through the use of the machinery connected to those bodies – the chakra continued to replenish itself, just as it had when they were alive.

He stretched his awareness a bit further until he could feel the newest addition to his chakra pool...Kakashi Hatake. Pein opened his eyes and smiled slightly as he felt the vitality of this new chakra. Unlike the sources he'd grown used to over the years, this chakra was raw and surprisingly potent...something he hadn't expected from the laid back shinobi it came from.

He pushed himself to standing and headed toward the lower levels of the building – where he'd left the immobilized Copy-Ninja the night before. He'd need to regulate the extraction process carefully to get the optimum chakra from the man without killing him. After all – there was no guarantee the chakra would maintain its unique potency after death – and he wasn't eager to give up such a vital source of raw power.

While he walked toward the holding room, Pein continued to run the acquired chakra through his network and attempted to catalog its properties...a task made more difficult when he recognized the source was moving. Pein stopped and closed his eyes in concentration to get a better idea of where the prisoner was headed. He frowned. There was no way Kakashi should be able to move so far away while the rods were still active – and there was no doubt at all in his mind that the chakra rods _were_ still active.

That could only mean one thing of two things – either fellow Konoha shinobi were attempting to rescue the man...or a certain masked fool decided he couldn't wait for revenge after all. Either way, Pein would make certain they paid dearly for interfering with his plans for the Copy-Ninja.

-- --

* * *

Kakashi had been trying to find some way to tap back into his chakra network, but without the use of his hands to focus what little chakra that remained in his pathways, it was hopeless. The rods Pein had pushed into his wrists burned – as though mocking his inability to counter their presence. He pushed down his frustration and instead tried to see if he could locate where else the rods were located in his body.

It seemed as though every major chakra juncture had a rod in place...some more painful than others...like those at his wrists and below his knees. The steady pulse of those rods was a counterpoint to the beating of his heart, and soon it began to lull him into a state of half-sleep. That is – until he sensed someone approaching the door leading into the room. Kakashi's heart-rate increased at the thought of Pein placing any more of the rods into him. He knew if that happened, then the small amount of residual chakra left would be drained away as well...leaving him completely helpless. He turned his head to face the door and tried to brace himself for whatever was coming.

The steel door pushed in toward him – allowing the harsh light from the hallway to momentarily blind Kakashi until all he could see was the outline of someone entering the room. His eyes were still trying to adjust to the added light when he saw the unmistakable red glow of the sharingan just above him..._two_ of them, to be precise.

_Itachi? Shit – now what?_

Kakashi still had nightmares about the last time Itachi caught him is his Tsukuyomi – and he knew there was no way he could fight back this time...not without access to his own chakra. He closed his eyes, hoping it wasn't already too late.

"Relax, Kakashi – I have no intention to torture you at this time."

Kakashi furrowed his brow, keeping his eyes firmly shut. "Why should I believe you?"

What might pass for a chuckle came from Itachi's lips, causing Kakashi to question the former Konoha shinobi's sanity. "Whether you believe me or not does not change anything. Answer me this, Senpai – do you wish to leave this place?"

The question surprised Kakashi nearly as much as Itachi's use of the title he'd had during his time in the ANBU with the Uchiha. He cracked his eyes open – still not entirely trusting the man speaking to him.

"You know that I do, Itachi."

"Then you need to do exactly as I instruct – or my cousin may yet manage to kill you."

That said, the Uchiha slid his arms under Kakashi's shoulders and knees. He was lifted up as though he weighed little more than a feather. Something about what Itachi said was disturbing Kakashi, so he turned his head until he could see the younger man's face.

"I would think you would be _helping_ Obito – not going against him."

Itachi's eyes seemed to lose focus for a moment. "If it was Obito alone looking to end your life, then perhaps you might be right. But I refuse to help that _other_ Uchiha."

Kakashi thought back to when he'd been captured – to when he could have sworn he'd seen someone else besides Obito staring down at him. Now – with Itachi's words – he was beginning to think it hadn't just been his head injury after all.

"Who else is sharing Obito's body?"

Itachi frowned. "You always have been too smart for your own good, Kakashi. It would have been better if you hadn't known about that."

Kakashi growled. "Itachi – stop playing games. What the hell is going on?"

The Uchiha shifted Kakashi in his arms and sighed while walking out the door and into the brightly lit hallway. The change in lighting caused Kakashi to need to close his eyes against the harsh glare while he was carried briskly for several moments in silence. Just as he was starting to think he wasn't going to receive an answer, Itachi's quiet voice filled the air.

"It's not my place to tell you that, Kakashi. Suffice it to say, your family and mine do not have a good history prior to your experiences with Obito and me."

Kakashi nearly laughed – but figured it wouldn't be wise to upset Itachi while he was carrying him away from his prison. So he remained silent – running the man's words through his mind over and over. Did Itachi honestly think Kakashi's experiences with him or Obito were _good_? Hell – he and Obito never did more than argue...right up to the fateful day when he'd thought the Uchiha died. And Itachi...his time spent training the younger man in the finer arts of the ANBU were never what he'd have described as fond memories.

He thought back to when his father was still alive...and tried to remember anything Sakumo ever said about the secretive clan which lived across the village from the Hatake compound. Nothing came to mind. But then again – he and his father rarely talked about other clans. Their time was usually spent debating weapons techniques, or the appropriate positioning of his fingers for the latest jutsu his father was teaching him. At the time, Kakashi assumed his father's obsession with teaching him the higher level jutsu when he was still so young was just that he wanted to spend time together. Now – he wondered if that was all there was to it. After all – the first jutsu he'd been taught were those which were the best defense against fire jutsu...the Uchiha's specialty.

They continued on in silence for what felt like hours until, at last, Itachi stopped and lowered him onto the flat surface of a large sun-baked rock. That surprised Kakashi more than a bit – as he hadn't noticed when they'd made the transition from the building to the outdoors. He cautiously looked toward where Itachi was staring off into the distance and wondered what happened now.

As though reading his thoughts, the younger man turned toward him and pulled a kunai out of his robe. Kakashi tensed. Was this all just a ruse? Was Itachi going to kill him after all?

"I'm afraid this is going to hurt Kakashi – but I will do my best to heal the wounds while I pry the rods out. Try to stay still and quiet."

Before Kakashi had the opportunity to respond, he felt the tip of the kunai slice into his skin around one of the rods at his shoulder. He bit down on his lower lip to keep from screaming out in pain while the Uchiha dug enough of the rod loose to allow him to grab hold of it and pull it free of his body. True to his word, Itachi pushed his chakra into the tunnel left behind and partially healed the damage as best he could.

Kakashi's breath came in short gasps – the pain increased with each subsequent rod's removal. Itachi continued to heal him...at least partially...and moved quickly from one rod to another – as though worried that time was running out. He'd lost count of the number of rods removed – but when Itachi stepped back Kakashi had hoped it was over. Of course, he'd never been lucky in the past – so why he ever thought he would be now was beyond him.

His streak of bad luck continued when Itachi rolled him over to expose his back to the sky. Then – for countless minutes more – the Uchiha dug the remaining rods from his back. When, at last, it was over, and he was rolled right side up again, he met Itachi's eyes and chuckled.

Itachi frowned. "Why would you laugh after that, Senpai?"

Kakashi slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position – glad that his body responded to his will once more. "You have a very strange idea of what _not_ being tortured means, Itachi."

The younger man looked like he was about comment when his attention was caught by something off to the side. "We need to go – _now_. You aren't ready to move on your own yet – get on my back."

Kakashi wanted to argue with Itachi, but the tone in the Uchiha's voice made it clear the order was not meant to belittle him – rather it was meant to communicate the urgency of the situation. He climbed onto the younger man's back and they were off once more – leaving the chakra rods behind in pile.

-- --

* * *

Obito found himself searching the many rooms of the Akatsuki's hideout trying to find some sign of his cousin. It frustrated him that Itachi had the uncanny knack of being able to hide his chakra signature from him...even with the added skills he'd learned from Madara. So he was forced to look in every room in his attempt to locate the younger Uchiha.

He turned another corner and nearly ran into Kisame. The blue-skinned freak never was one of his favorite Akatsuki members – not that he really _had_ a favorite – and as the towering man kept him from his task, he found his patience running out.

Obito growled his question. "Where is Itachi?"

Kisame scratched his head and leaned on the wall – further blocking Obito's way. "How would I know? It wasn't my turn to keep track of him."

Obito scowled behind his mask at the stupidity of the former Mist ninja. How his cousin could put up with such an idiot was beyond him. Still – he needed to find Itachi if he was ever going to be able to get to Kakashi without Pein getting in the way.

"Fine – then get out of my way!" He tried pushing past the fool – but was stopped when Kisame placed a hand against his shoulder.

Obito felt Madara's anger flare at the act of insolence – and he decided to allow his companion to teach the man a lesson...not that he really could have stopped him even if he had wanted to. Still – he continued to pretend in his mind that Madara's use of his body was indeed _his_ choice – and not the elder Uchiha's.

"You have three seconds to move Kisame." The voice that came from his throat was undeniably Madara's...and it had the expected effect on the blue-skinned man.

Doubt clouded Kisame's eyes and his arm tensed.

"One."

The hand lifted off the shoulder and the taller shinobi took a step backwards – not quite out of the way yet.

"Two."

Kisame's eyes went wide as one hand moved up to remove the whirlpool mask.

"_Three_!"

Obito felt Madara's power flow into his eye and activate his sharingan. From one moment to the next Kisame went from powerful behemoth to a quivering mess huddled on the floor. He wasn't sure what exactly Madara showed the man – he wasn't allowed access to that mindscape when Madara took it over – but whatever he'd shown him, it was obviously enough to strip away Kisame's arrogant front and reduce him to this.

Obito felt full control of his body and mind return to him as he heard Madara's thoughts in his head. _"That should help to remind the fool that his loyalties lie, first and foremost, to me...and not Itachi."_

Obito couldn't help but chuckle as he stepped over the fallen form of Kisame and moved into where he'd assumed Itachi was hiding – sliding his mask back into place. But all that greeted him was another empty room. He scowled and spun on his heels to head on to the next room. He was just about to step back into the hall when he felt his body pushed against the nearest wall by what was unmistakably Pein's power. The red-haired nuisance placed the edge of a kunai against his throat.

"What did you do with him, Tobi?

Obito blinked behind his mask. "What did I do with _who?_"

Pein leaned in closer. "Kakashi Hatake."

"Nothing! I haven't even gone _near_ the lower levels since you brought him back!"

Pein's face twisted into something close to confusion and he stepped back, allowing Obito to move away from the wall and rub one gloved hand along his neck where the kunai so recently was pressed. In his mind he was beginning to get an idea of just why he'd been unable to find his cousin.

Pein's voice brought him out of his musings. "If you didn't move him, then explain to me why the man is no longer in the holding room."

Obito clenched his fists and turned toward where Kisame was just starting to pull himself together. He hissed one word before storming out of the room. "Itachi."

His cousin had better be killing the Konoha ninja – because otherwise Obito might find himself with no other choice then to destroy Itachi before eliminating Kakashi once and for all. He heard Pein's footsteps behind him and knew the two of them were about to hunt one of their own.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The Beginning of the End

Pein stared down at the pile of chakra rods near his feet. The blood coating them had dried completely, making it clear they'd been removed from Kakashi hours earlier. His gaze moved to the flat rock where the procedure had obviously taken place, and he noted there was very little excess blood on its surface. Whoever removed the rods was skilled enough to heal the entry points during their removal – again confirming it was likely Itachi who had stolen Kakashi away.

Pein bent down and retrieved the discarded rods – placing all but one of the smaller rods into his pockets. That smaller rod was placed on the edge of the flat rock. He pushed back the sleeve of his robe to uncover a series of chakra rods lining his left arm, and with a skill born from hundreds of such movements, he deftly pried loose one of his own rods and pulled it free from his body. Pein replaced that rod with the one from on top of the rock and pocketed the other.

He closed his eyes as the stored remnants of Kakashi's chakra merged with his own network – causing his senses to spin momentarily from the intensity of the new addition. He'd been right when he thought the man's chakra held unique properties...this new chakra in his system flowed hotter than the rest, and responded to his thoughts with a speed and precision that he'd never experienced before.

Pein opened his eyes. He knew the stored chakra wouldn't last forever – but he'd be damned if he'd let this power go to waste. He turned on his heel and glared at the two Akatsuki members that came with him – Kisame and Tobi.

"If we lose the ability to contain the essence of the Kyuubi it will be entirely your fault Tobi."

The whirlpool-masked man glared back at him. "If you had let me kill him we wouldn't be having this problem, Pein."

"If I had let you kill him – we would never have the proper mix of chakra to reign in the Nine-tail without shattering the containment vessel." Pein turned and stared off into the distance. "Now make yourself useful and track down your cousin. If we find Itachi – we find Kakashi."

Silence followed – and Pein knew the Uchiha was brooding over being ordered about...but at this point...all that mattered was reaching the final goal of having all the tailed beasts in containment by the month's end. And the _only_ way that could happen was with Kakashi Hatake back in their grasp.

Tobi came to stand next to him. "Fine. We'll do as you ask. But don't blame me when your plan backfires on you, Pein. If there's one constant with a Hatake, it's that things _never_ go as planned when they are involved."

-- --

* * *

Kakashi clung onto Itachi's back – cursing himself for ever getting into this position to start with. He still wasn't sure what game his one-time ANBU teammate was playing – but the one thing Kakashi was certain of was that, while he couldn't entirely trust Itachi, he was currently out of other options. The way the younger man was pushing himself made it crystal clear he felt they would be tracked sooner rather than later, and the idea of meeting up with the rest of the Akatsuki, when Itachi was tiring and Kakashi still wasn't in complete control of his muscles, made this all the worse.

Still – at least he wasn't laying on a morgue table any longer, and with luck, this helpful side of Itachi might last beyond taking him away from that place. Of course, he still needed to find some way to get back in touch with Shikamaru and the others soon. Otherwise they'd never manage to finish the task Jiraiya set for him to do.

Thoughts of the dead Sannin brought a frown to Kakashi's face. Why was it that another of his precious people had to be taken away? And why was it he was never given the time to properly mourn them when they left? It had been the same for every single one that died before Jiraiya – and Kakashi had the sinking suspicion that his life would continue with this pattern.

Kakashi was so involved in his thoughts that he'd been entirely unprepared when Itachi slid to a stop. The move jarred his still injured body and pulled a pained groan from his lips before he could stop it. In all his wildest dreams, what happened next was definitely not something he was expecting.

"What are you doing with Kakashi-sensei, you bastard! Put him down – or you'll regret it – believe it!"

A group of six Narutos was standing directly in front of them with fists clenched around kunai, and lips pulled back in a fierce snarl. Directly behind the squad of blond-haired boys stood the remainder of Kakashi's hastily created mission team – and by the look in their eyes, each of them was ready to pounce on the Uchiha at the slightest provocation.

He felt Itachi's muscles tense slightly under him when Shikamaru lifted his hands into the familiar hand sign associated with the Nara clan's infamous shadow techniques, and Kakashi knew he needed to do something before the Uchiha slaughtered the kids outright.

"Umm – hey gang...this isn't what it looks like – really."

Shikamaru tipped his head to one side and smirked. "So Itachi _isn't_ trying to help you escape from the rest of the Akatsuki?"

Itachi's quiet chuckle preceded his input. "I see you are as observant as Shikaku. How fortunate for me."

Kakashi chuckled himself, and wordlessly let Itachi know it was time to let him off his back. Of course, he rethought the logic of that move when his legs refused to hold him up once his feet were on the ground. Thankfully, Itachi was quick enough to readjust himself so his arm slid around Kakashi's waist before his legs could do more than buckle slightly.

Sakura was at their side instantly, glaring toward Itachi without meeting the Uchiha's eyes, while reaching out to take Kakashi into her own grip. "What did you do to him?"

Kakashi sighed. "Mah...Sakura, don't be like that. Itachi tried to reverse what the others did."

The pink-haired kunoichi snorted at his comment and proceeded to lower him to sit on the ground where she could take a closer look at his wounds – a task made easier considering he was only wearing his boxers. Meanwhile Kakashi saw Shikamaru had completed his hand movements and currently held Itachi firmly within the grasp of his shadow paralysis jutsu. Sai quickly used one of his scrolls and drew a series of ink snakes to coil around the Akatsuki member's legs and arms. Naruto created a dozen more clones and positioned them in a tight circle around Itachi, making it clear they'd beat the crap out of him if he so much as blinked.

For his part, Itachi remained calm throughout the ordeal – making no attempt to flee, and no move to explain himself either. Kakashi sighed once more – although the sound quickly changed to a gasp of pain when Sakura pressed on one of the wounds on his back. Her concern colored her words.

"Kakashi-sensei...what caused these injuries? I've never seen anything like them."

Neji approached – his Byakugan fully activated. "Every one of these wounds is positioned over a chakra junction. The precision is something I doubt even a Hyuga could manage easily."

"Yet not a difficult task for someone bearing the Rinnegan." Itachi's calm voice caused Kakashi to shiver as a name was placed to the strange black and white eyes he'd observed in that pale face.

Neji returned his eyes to their normal state and turned toward where Itachi was being kept. "That would explain it...if the Rinnegan truly existed."

Kakashi wasn't sure what to make of this latest information – especially considering he knew that the bearer of those eyes was nothing more than a clone of some sort. And that there had been no recorded occurrence of that particular bloodline limit in over two generations. Of course, before he had a chance to think too much more about it, he felt Sakura's healing chakra being pushed through his body. The sensation was a cross between being plunged into a warm bath and falling from a great height all at once, and caused him to lean forward with a sudden wave of vertigo. He pushed words through his clenched teeth.

"Are you trying to get even for all those times I was late, Sakura?"

"I'm sorry, Sensei...but because the wounds are so plentiful and involve your chakra network, this is the best way to ensure they heal evenly. It won't be too much longer."

He grunted his understanding and continued suffering through the healing until, at last, it ended...leaving him breathless but whole once more. Shikamaru stepped to his side and squatted in front of him.

"May I ask you a question Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi chuckled. "I believe you just did, Shikamaru."

A frown settled over the boy's face and Kakashi sighed – already knowing what was coming next – amazed it had taken this long. "Do you wear the mask to keep your enemies from realizing just how young you actually are?"

Kakashi scratched at the side of his head. This Nara kid kept surprising him with just how astute he was. "You are the first one to guess the correct reason in quite some time, Shikamaru. Now do me a favor and bring me my pack so I can keep at least some of my dignity in tact."

Before Shikamaru could respond, Kakashi's pack was handed to him by Sai, who then proceeded to stare at Kakashi's bared face with more emotion than he'd ever seen on the boy. It was rather disturbing. Kakashi pointedly rummaged through his sack and pulled out his spare clothing – pulling on his sleeveless mask-shirt and settling the familiar cloth in place before returning his gaze to the former Root operative.

"The show is over Sai."

The boy continued to stare, however – making Kakashi more than a bit annoyed when he realized Sai would probably be sketching his bare face sometime in the near future. He pushed it out of his mind with a low growl and continued dressing. He frowned when he realized there wasn't a complete set of clothing in the bag. He didn't even have spare sandals. That was when he remembered his normal travel pack was still in his apartment when it had caught fire. This pack was one he left at the Mission Desk just in case he didn't have time to return home for the other. Evidently he neglected to restock it after the last time he'd used it.

Well – it wasn't the first time this had happened...and with luck – it wouldn't be the last. So he pulled out a few rolls of bandages and proceeded to wrap his feet so there would be at least a bit of protection on his soles until he could find a replacement for his sandals.

When he was finished, he was covered a bit more than when he started...although without his uniform shirt, jonin vest or sandals, he didn't look quite as threatening as he normally would. Rolling his shoulders to work out the kinks from his latest ordeal, Kakashi caught Shikamaru's attention once more. The boy nodded once and presented him with the small pouch that contained all the various pieces to Jiraiya's puzzle.

Kakashi pulled them all out and slowly unwrapped each piece, spreading them on the ground before him. Each part was created to fit together seamlessly into the next...crystal shards merging with silver fittings...until a small, palm-sized ring was created. A slight hum vibrated through the piece, and the purpose of the completed tool made its use obvious to him. It was a focusing device meant to sharpen the user's chakra into something far deadlier than normal...and the specific qualities of the crystals made it clear to him that, even if Jiraiya had survived, the Sannin had always intended to have Kakashi wield the tool.

His silver brows rose in appreciation of the simplistic design the Toad-sage used for such an important part of the plan. And he knew that the success of this final mission fell entirely on his shoulders now. After all – he was the only one in Konoha anymore with lightning as their main elemental chakra – and it was that specific element that these crystals were keyed to.

"Kakashi-sensei, is that what I think it is?" Shikamaru's voice held an edge of concern which let Kakashi know he wasn't the only one to figure out Jiraiya's intentions.

"Yeah – looks like the Old-man understood me more than I thought." Kakashi crinkled his eyes into a smile. "Don't look so worried, kid. I'm not dead yet."

Shikamaru frowned. "I'd prefer it if you stayed that way Kakashi-sensei."

Itachi's quiet voice interrupted the two shinobi. "None of us will remain alive for long unless we move soon, Senpai. They're coming."

Kakashi smiled to himself. At least it appeared Itachi was going to continue helping them awhile longer. That was something. He walked over to where Itachi was still surrounded by Naruto's clones.

"Based on the information Gaara provided from his own experiences with the Akatsuki, can I assume there is a meeting place in mind for the next extraction, Itachi?"

The raven-haired Uchiha frowned. "There is."

Kakashi tipped his head toward the cloudy sky – running his options through his mind. "And how long before the others reach us, do you think?"

"Zetsu will likely be in observation range within half and hour – the rest will follow within one hour."

Kakashi sighed and sat on the ground, pulling his shirt up to expose his chest once more. "Sakura – come here."

The pink-haired kunoichi moved swiftly to his side. "Is something wrong, Kakashi-sensei? Are you in pain?"

He chuckled at her concern. "Not yet – but I will be in a moment."

Kakashi made sure to turn his back to Itachi before pulling the palm-sized circle of silver and crystal into sight. He held the item up to the medical-ninja and gave her a stern stare before placing his free hand over his abdomen.

"This needs to go here...as quickly as possible, please."

Sakura's eyes went wide – but she nodded in understanding. "Neji! I'll need your help to line it up properly."

Kakashi smiled at her – glad to see she discerned that the item would need to encircle the chakra juncture at his solar plexus from what little he said. He'd always known she was a smart one. Not quite on Shikamaru's level – but not bad in her own right. She moved quickly – following Neji's directions to the letter – and soon Kakashi was pushing down the urge wriggle free of the excruciating pain of the incision.

Sai's presence at his side distracted him. "Doesn't that hurt, Senpai?"

Kakashi grimaced. So much for being distracted. He responded through clenched teeth. "Yes Sai – it does."

A moment later and it was over – leaving Kakashi gasping for air once more. He brushed a slightly shaking hand through his sweat-dampened hair and moved to stand up. Although Sakura frowned at his movement, she did nothing to stop him, and when he stumbled slightly in the process, Sai's steady hand at his elbow set him straight once more.

Kakashi pulled his shirt down and smiled at his one-time student. "Tsunade taught you well, Sakura. You didn't even leave a mark."

She blushed at his complement and stepped forward to place the back of one hand against Kakashi's forehead. She frowned once more. "Kakashi-sensei, I don't like what this thing is doing to you."

Kakashi shrugged – pleased that he only felt a slight twinge in his shoulders. "It is what it is, Sakura. Now do one more thing – reopene those tunnels from before."

She paled. "But I only just healed them!"

"Yes, Sakura – I know. But if we are to stand a chance, you need to do this."

Sakura furrowed her brow in frustration, but recognized from the tone of his voice that she had no choice. A moment later, and Kakashi was aching nearly as badly as he had when they'd first begun.

He pushed down his pain and met the kunoichi's eyes. "Now then – I need you, Shikamaru and Neji to head back to Konoha. Take Pakkun with you."

Sakura narrowed her eyes at him but Shikamaru's response stopped her argument before it started. "So we're ready for the End-Game?"

"Yup."

The pug growled. "Let me get this straight, pup...you totally ignore me until now – and then it's only to send me away with these brats?"

The tone of the dog's voice made it quite clear he was not happy with how his master was behaving. Kakashi knelt in front of the pug and scratched at a spot behind the dog's left ear that wiped the serious look off the animal's face in an instant, and had Pakkun's back leg thumping uncontrollably in pleasure.

"Sorry I ignored you Pakkun...but this mission has to come first."

Kakashi stood back up and the dog shook his entire body – as thought trying to regain some semblance of dignity after how out of control he'd just looked. "Fine, Kakashi...but I'm telling you now – you and I are gonna have a serious chat when we get back to Konoha. You hear me, pup?"

Kakashi grinned down at his oldest summon and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Whatever you say, Pakkun."

With that settled, the pug gave a small growl and then followed the three ninja out of the clearing. Naruto – well, one of the Narutos – moved over to where Kakashi and Sai were still standing. "So what now, Boss?"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow at the newly bestowed title. "Now we let the Akatsuki recapture me, and think that in doing so they've tamed you into following along docilely."

Naruto grinned. "Right! So then Sai and my clones get to ambush them down the road and beat the crap out of them! Cool plan, Boss!"

Sai rolled his eyes while Kakashi chuckled. "Not quite Naruto. We actually _want _them to think they've won."

The jinchuriki looked thoroughly confused. "You want us to _what_?!?"

Kakashi placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Trust me, kid. This way we can get them to bring us to where the target is the quickest."

Naruto frowned, but offered no further arguments. Kakashi turned his attention to Sai. "You need to weaken Itachi's restraints so he can break lose and put up a believable front when they get here. I need them to think this was all Itachi's plan from the start – or we may never manage to pull this off. Am I clear?"

Sai glanced toward the bound Akatsuki member then back at Kakashi. The boy bowed his head. "Yes, Senpai."

Kakashi walked over to where Itachi was sitting amidst Naruto's clones. He met the younger man's eyes – thankful that they were still deep black and not the red of his sharingan. "Can you pull this off, Kid?"

Itachi closed his eyes and sighed deeply – his answer spoken just loud enough for Kakashi to hear it. "Of course...Old Man."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The Quiet Before the Storm

Naruto couldn't believe how quickly everything switched from calm to absolutely insanity. He was speaking with Sai – trying to get the ass to give him details on what payment he wanted for a drawing of Kakashi-sensei's face – when all hell broke loose.

So, okay – yeah – technically he and the others had planned it all out before the Akatsuki showed up – but when Itachi broke free of Sai's ink-snakes and lunged for Kakashi, it was done with such ferocity that he and Sai had no trouble throwing themselves, and his clones, in between the two men to try and keep Itachi from reaching his goal.

Itachi made short work of most of Naruto's clones – and managed to send Sai sailing into a grove of trees – knocking him unconscious rather quickly. Naruto's eyes went wide as he found himself going head to head with the Uchiha – and he found the man to be a much better fighter than Sasuke ever was. All his concentration went into dodging hits and trying to gather enough energy between himself and his remaining clones to create a Rasengan in an attempt to even the field. He'd just managed to generate the swirling mass of energy in his palm when Kakashi's pained grunt caught his attention. Naruto spared a quick glance over to his Sensei to see another version of Itachi standing directly behind the man with his fist wrapped in Kakashi's hair and a kunai pressing against the jonin's throat.

"Surrender now, Naruto."

The version of Itachi in front of him vanished in a puff of smoke. Naruto's eyes went wide. That had only been a _clone_. Damn. He looked over toward where Sai still lay unconscious and then back to where he could see the blade cut through Kakashi's mask and a thin stream of blood was trickling down his Sensei's neck. Naruto's hands clenched into fists. He knew this was needed to convince the Akatsuki idiots that Itachi was still on their side – but did he _have_ to hurt Kakashi-sensei in the process?

Naruto shifted his gaze to meet Kakashi's eyes and took in a deep breath when he saw the almost glazed look of pain in those mismatched eyes. Either the man was the world's best actor – or his Sensei was _really_ in a lot of pain. Naruto frowned. He didn't remember them saying _that_ was part of the plan. Did Itachi trick them after all?

That didn't sit too well with Naruto – and he growled at Itachi. "Let Kakashi-sensei go, you bastard!"

Itachi's face remained unchanged – but his eyes shifted from coal-black to the red and black of the sharingan. "Surrender now – or you'll watch Kakashi die...slowly and painfully."

Naruto watched the blade of the kunai shift to one of Kakashi's bared arms and begin to be dragged down his arm – leaving another trail of blood behind it. "What are you doing to him? Leave him alone – dammit! I'm so gonna kick your ass!"

Naruto took one step forward only to feel a large hand grip painfully into his shoulder – forcing him to his knees rather quickly. He froze when he saw three more Akatsuki members gather around his sensei – including some half-plant guy who just had to be the one who Kakashi had said hurt him when he'd fought next to Pervy-sensei. This plan sucked...and that thought was reinforced as he watched helplessly when the one wearing a whirlpool mask slammed into Kakashi-sensei's chest with their leg. Kakashi gave a pained gasp even as he doubled over – pulling free of Itachi's grasp at the same time.

Naruto's breath caught in his throat when he watched one of them move closer to the jonin and roughly pull him back up to kneel before them. He'd never seen his Sensei look so worn-down and weak...and it caused Naruto to doubt that this plan would work at all – especially when Itachi reached forward to help remove Kakashi's shirt and mask – revealing the partially healed holes, as well as the new cuts on his neck and arm.

Naruto struggled within the grasp of his captor, and he twisted until he could see who had him. He gasped when he saw the pointy-toothed grin of Kisame. "Miss me, Kid?"

Naruto increased his struggling. "Get off me, asshole!"

Before Naruto knew what was happening, the larger-than-life, blue-skinned monster pulled his sword off his back and pressed its blade into Naruto's right thigh. He screamed out when the blade bit into his skin – and then he felt his chakra being drained. Kisame chuckled harshly in his ear.

"I remember the last time we met – so I don't think we'll take any chances this time."

Naruto felt light-headed, and he heard the low growl of the Kyuubi in his mind. _'What are you doing, you fool? Let me teach these bastards what it means to cross us!'_

Although Naruto had to admit he was sorely tempted to let the Kyuubi do just that – one look at Kakashi-sensei's eyes told him that he couldn't...at least not yet. And it was that silent communication between himself and his sensei that gave him the courage and strength to let the Kyuubi go unanswered.

Naruto's focus narrowed to just Kakashi – knowing that this was only the start of the plan – and knowing deep down that his own part of that plan was going to be far easier than his sensei's. He could only hope he and Kakashi hadn't made a big mistake trusting in Sasuke's older brother.

-- --

* * *

Kakashi coughed up blood after Obito's not-so-gentle greeting, but he wasn't allowed to recover from the attack before he felt hands pull him back up to kneeling. Next thing he knew, his shirt and mask were peeled off once more, and he was left feeling exposed before the piercing eyes of Pein.

"I hope you enjoyed your respite, Copy-ninja – because you won't get another."

Kakashi watched Pein frown as the man ran a finger lightly over the newest injuries. "Itachi – although I can now understand why you borrowed our guest – I cannot agree with the additional injuries. I thought I had made it clear that no one else was to injure the man."

"My apologies, but it was necessary to reign in the jinchuriki." Itachi's voice betrayed nothing of their underlying plan – something that Kakashi could appreciate.

Kakashi knew he had a role to play in all of this, and tried his best to do just that. He struggled within Pein's grip and glared daggers toward the Uchiha. "I should have known better than to trust a _traitor_!"

Itachi raised one brow and shrugged – a barely perceptible motion if you weren't looking for it. "Your hope and faith in others has always been your weakness Kakashi Hatake."

Pein tipped his head to the side. "And fortunately for us, Itachi knew enough to use that weakness to our advantage."

Kakashi growled at the Leader and tried to break loose once more – managing to slip out of Pein's grip, but unable to avoid Obito's vice-like grip around his neck. "Where do you think you're going, Hatake? We aren't finished with you quite yet."

"Hold him still, Tobi." Pein's tone showed Kakashi the man was done fooling around.

Obito's grip shifted from Kakashi's neck to his arms – pinning them painfully behind his back and pushing him toward Pein. Kakashi's eyes widened in unfeigned fear at the sight of the chakra rods Pein pulled out of his robe. He knew this was part of his plan – but that didn't make him look forward to the excruciating pain of having those things shoved back into his body. Not for the first time today, Kakashi was seriously wishing he'd come up with a different plan.

Kakashi tried desperately to get away – but his attempt ceased the moment Pein gripped his shoulder and pushed one of the larger rods back into place. Naruto's scream of outrage was soon drowned out by his own shout of agony. Pein quickly placed the second large rod in place – effectively removing Kakashi's ability to fight back. When it was over, he was released from Pein and Obito's grips, and Kakashi fell forward onto the ground – no longer able to control the muscles in his arms or legs.

Itachi knelt next to him, and the Uchiha maneuvered him into his arms before standing once more. From this new position, Kakashi saw Kisame step forward with a restrained Naruto squirming under one arm – a large toothy grin on the Akatsuki member's face. There was a deep cut on the boy's leg – but fortunately that seemed to be the only damage Naruto acquired. That was good – because once they carried out the rest of the plan, Kakashi's only chance of escaping would be with Naruto's help. After all – he knew better than to think he would actually be able to rely on Itachi beyond what had already transpired.

Naruto's strained voice pierced through Kakashi's pain. "You've got me already – so leave Kakashi-sensei alone! You don't have to hurt him like that!"

Pein turned toward the blond-haired boy. "Actually – for us to succeed, your sensei will need to be in far more pain than this. But we can wait until we've reached our destination before I add to his discomfort."

Kakashi's breath caught in his throat – and he could have sworn he'd actually felt Itachi's arms tense at Pein's words. He had hoped the insertion of those additional rods wouldn't happen – but now all he could do was hope they wouldn't compromise the carefully placed ring of crystals – otherwise they may as well call it quits now.

Naruto continued to struggle in Kisame's arms, and Kakashi knew he needed to do something to keep the boy in check. "Naruto! Don't worry about me...I can take it."

"But Kakashi-sensei..."

Kisame interrupted them. "Keep squirming kid, and I'll just knock you out. Understand me?"

Kakashi met Naruto's gaze and tried to wordlessly tell him to relax. It must have worked – because the hyper-active shinobi settled into a defeated posture. Before Kakashi could breathe a sigh of relief, his chin was grabbed roughly and his head was twisted until he was eye to eye with Obito Uchiha.

"Don't get too comfortable, Kakashi. Pein has already promised me, that once we are finished with this task, you will belong to me!"

Kakashi pushed down the knot of fear in his stomach and forced a lazy smile across his lips. "I didn't know you cared, Obito...but you aren't really my type."

He felt the hand on his chin tighten until he was certain there'd be bruises left behind. Kakashi grunted in pain and tried, unsuccessfully, to pull free. Obito leaned in close. "When I'm finished with you, Hatake, you won't be _anyone's_ type."

-- --

* * *

Naruto sat in the corner of the dark room he'd been thrown into, and thought once again that this had to be the lamest plan ever. Sure – they'd managed to find a way to be brought straight into the center of the Akatsuki's hideout – but now what were they supposed to do? Hell – he wasn't even sure what the rest of the plan was.

He sighed and pulled his knees up to his chest. He hated not knowing what was going on. It sucked.

He was pulled from his self-pitying thoughts when the door to his room was pulled open. Naruto raised one hand up to block the light from his eyes – trying to see who was coming in. All he could tell was that there was someone being dragged in between two others. Before he could even start to figure out who they were, they unceremoniously dropped the body they were carrying to the ground and then left – pulling the door shut behind them.

Naruto heard the body groan and he instantly recognized the sound. "Kakashi-sensei!"

He quickly crawled across the floor and gently pulled Kakashi into his lap. Another groan shook the older man's body, and Naruto pulled his sensei closer in an attempt to comfort him – just like Iruka-sensei had done for him over the years.

"Take it easy, Sensei. You're safe now."

He watched Kakashi's right eye flicker open and his eyebrows rise. "I appreciate the thought, Naruto, but I wouldn't exactly call this place safe."

Naruto blushed and rubbed at the back of his head. "Well – yeah – I know that – I was just trying to make you feel better is all."

Kakashi smiled up at him. "It's okay, Naruto – I know what you meant. Now – help me sit up."

Naruto frowned. "Are you sure you should be sitting, Kakashi-sensei? I mean – damn – how many more of those things did they stick into you?"

Kakashi groaned once again as Naruto carefully pulled him into a sitting position. "Too many, in my opinion. But it doesn't look like they're on to us yet – so I guess I'll just have to deal with it."

Naruto shook his head – trying his best to push down his growing anger at how beat up Kakashi-sensei was again. "But what if that asshole turns on us, Sensei?"

He knew he didn't need to explain who he was talking about, but still, he wasn't ready for Kakashi's reaction. The jonin started to chuckle...quietly at first...but then growing in volume until it was actually a laugh. He stared at the man and wondered if perhaps the Copy-ninja had finally lost his mind.

Just his luck – to have that happen _now_ of all times!

Kakashi started coughing and Naruto quickly shifted to concern for his Sensei. He slid his arm behind Kakashi's back once more and helped him into a better position until the coughing subsided.

"Are you going to be okay, Kakashi-sensei?"

The silver-haired jonin smirked at him. "Naruto – I haven't been your sensei in years. I think you can drop the title now."

Naruto frowned. "But Iruka-sensei hasn't minded...and _he_ hasn't been my sensei in even _more_ years than you!"

Kakashi's eye rolled and he let loose a long sigh. "Right – how silly of me. Now then – let me try and fill you in on how this needs to go down."

Naruto nodded his head in agreement, but then had a brilliant idea. "Hey – Kakashi-sensei! Why don't I pull out those rods again? That way you'll be all set for us to fight our way out when it's time!"

"Naruto – I know you mean well – but unless Jiraiya managed to drill you in the healing arts in between all his other training, I really don't think it'll work."

Mention of his dead mentor brought Naruto back to reality and he frowned. Kakashi smiled sadly at him before speaking again.

"I'm sorry Naruto – but we don't have time for me to sugar-coat this. Pulling out the rods would only work if you could heal the wounds left behind. That's how Itachi did it – and even then, I nearly bled out."

Naruto let out a frustrated burst of air. "So then what the hell are we supposed to do? Just let them _kill_ me?"

Kakashi sighed and closed his eye. "For now, Naruto, just rest. They won't be able to do anything for another few hours, if what Pein said to me was true. So for right now – just rest. I need you to be ready to move when the time is right, okay?"

Naruto frowned. "But how the hell am I supposed to know when that is?"

Kakashi opened both eyes – and met his gaze steadily. "Naruto – you'll know. Trust your instincts on this one. The old man taught you well – have faith in what you've learned from him...and from me."

Naruto gasped when he saw to look of utter faith in Kakashi's eyes. He'd never in a million years thought the man would look at _him_ that way...Sakura maybe – or even Sai...but never him. He felt a smile stretch across his face as an unfamiliar warmth spread through him. So _this_ is what it felt like to be trusted? Damn...maybe this wasn't such a lame plan after all.

-- --

* * *

Obito walked through the halls of the lair and let his growing frustrations with Pein color his thoughts. The over-confident fool actually thought he could control Kakashi and keep that man from sticking his nose in where it didn't belong. With that mindset, they could be in for trouble.

"_That is all the more reason for you to be prepared for whatever it is that Kakashi Hatake has planned. Because if there is one thing this brat has in common with White Fang...it's that he _always_ has a plan."_

Obito scowled. "How the hell do I prepare for something I don't know anything about, hmm?"

Madara's annoyance washed through him, causing Obito to pause and lean one hand against the wall to steady himself. _"What is it about Kakashi that makes you doubt yourself now, Obito? Have I wasted my time teaching you all of the secrets of the Uchiha clan? Should I have made my pact with your boorish cousin instead?"_

"No...don't say that, Madara! It's just...dammit...when that bastard is involved I feel like I'm thirteen again."

"_But you're not, Obito. You have learned more in our time together than even that jonin could imagine. So stop letting him cause you to doubt yourself."_

Obito sighed and pushed away from the wall. He clenched his hand into a fist. "I'll be ready, Madara...no matter what Kakashi comes up with...I'll be ready. You have my word."

Madara's laughter rang through Obito's mind. _"I believe you just might be Obito. And if this goes the way I hope, you'll have your left eye back before this is over. Then, my dear boy – nothing will be able to stop us!"_

A chill crept up Obito's spine at that thought, and his own laughter melded together with that of Madara's. After all these years...he'd finally be whole again – all because of Madara Uchiha...and he couldn't wait.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

One Final Piece

Shikamaru walked into the Hokage tower with Pakkun at his heels. The small pug refused to return to wherever it was that he gets summoned from, and instead had decided to annoy the living hell out of him. At first, Shikamaru thought it was a touching show of Pakkun's loyalty to Kakashi...but now...four days later...he was really finding the little monster to be far more trouble than he'd ever thought possible. And that fact alone was enough to set him on edge. After all, Shikamaru was not in the habit of being surprised...and yet this little pile of fur and teeth seemed able to catch him off guard time and time again. It was beyond troublesome.

These thoughts were still running through Shikamaru's mind when he stepped into Lady Tsunade's office, so he was completely unprepared for what he saw. Sai was sitting in the chair in front of the Hokage's desk and was leaning his head in the palms of his hands. Lady Tsunade was standing next to him, rubbing small circles on his back, and Shikamaru could have sworn he was hearing soft shuddering sobs coming from the member of ROOT.

Shikamaru shook his head to clear it. Obviously he was more flustered with Pakkun than he thought. There was no way Sai would ever feel, let alone _show_ anything close to this level of emotion. So Shikamaru shoved his hands in his pockets and made his way to where the other two were, ready to see he had misinterpreted the data present.

What he _did_ see was Sai's face. His normally expressionless eyes were red-rimmed and his mouth was twisted into something close to a frown. Shikamaru's eyes went wide in shock. Pakkun, however, was not having a similar problem. The pug jumped up on top of Sai's lap and pushed his nose into the boy's chin until he locked eyes with the dog.

"What are you doing back here without Kakashi?"

Sai blinked once at the small dog before taking in a shuddering breath and seemingly pulling himself back together into the ROOT operative they all knew. "It was the plan."

That snapped Shikamaru out of his confused state as well. "Sai, were Kakashi and Naruto taken by the Akatsuki?"

The pale boy turned to face him, somewhat surprised that he was there. "I waited to leave the clearing until I was certain Naruto and Kakashi were successful in their phase of the mission. They were...subdued...and taken from the area."

Something in how Sai said that worried Shikamaru. "Subdued? Explain, Sai."

Lady Tsunade placed a hand on Sai's shoulder. "It's okay Sai. Go ahead and tell him."

Sai closed his eyes and spoke in his usual clipped tone. "Itachi broke free, as per the plan. He attacked us and sent me sailing into the far tree-line before the others arrived. It enabled me to escape detection while still being close enough to observe the operation. Itachi seemed...enthusiastic...with his part of it all. Itachi was hurting Kakashi-senpai badly enough that Naruto resorted to using his Rasengan in an attempt to stop it."

Sai paused and took another shuddering breath...opening his eyes and staring straight at Shikamaru without seeing him. If Shikamaru had to guess, he'd have to say the ROOT member was reliving the fight in his mind as he spoke.

"Itachi had a kunai on Kakashi-senpai and proceeded to drag it across his neck, and then down his arm until Naruto finally stopped approaching. The rest of the Akatsuki arrived at that point and Kisame took control of Naruto by absorbing his chakra until he couldn't fight back anymore."

Shikamaru nodded his head. "That was almost exactly to plan...minus the Rasengan, of course So then the Akatsuki took them away, right?"

A shiver ran through Sai, causing Shikamaru's stomach to twist in anticipation. "Not yet. The one Kakashi-senpai described as the Leader forced him to his knees and he...and he...he pushed these long dark rods into the holes we saw in Kakashi's shoulders from before."

Tsunade's hand squeezed reassuringly on Sai's shoulder and the boy drew another ragged breath in before continuing. "Naruto yelled, but his voice was drowned out by the screams torn from Kakashi-senpai's throat." Sai lowered his head. "I've never heard screams like that before."

Shikamaru's eyes went wide at that statement. After all, Sai was an admitted member of ROOT and had likely been witness to, or the cause of, more deaths than he'd probably ever see in his lifetime. For Sai to admit that he'd never heard such screams before did not settle well with Shikamaru in the least. He clenched his fists.

"Was Kakashi in any shape to fight back when they left, Sai?"

Sai shook his head. "No. He couldn't move at all." Sai lifted his head until his eyes locked with Shikamaru's. "They said they were going to do more to him once they reached their destination."

Shikamaru frowned. This was definitely not according to any variation of the plan he'd discussed with Kakashi before. He turned his gaze to meet the Hokage's troubled eyes. "Can we have two squads of jonin ready to go within the next hour, Hokage?"

Lady Tsunade's voice sounded tight in her throat. "Shikamaru, I can't authorize that. If Kakashi is unable to fight back, there's no way he can carry out your plan. It's already too late."

"That's not exactly true, Hokage."

She frowned at him. "Sai, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't you just get done telling us that Kakashi Hatake has been completely disabled by the Akatsuki's actions?"

Sai blinked. "Yes, I did, Hokage."

Shikamaru sighed and rolled his eyes. "Lady Tsunade, Kakashi Hatake may not be able to move his arms or legs, but what we had planned doesn't require him to be able to move."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes at him. "Explain yourself Shikamaru."

"I'd love to Hokage...but the time it would take to explain it all would be better spent reaching wherever it is they've taken Kakashi and Naruto. Please...we can't afford to waste any more time."

He could see her struggling with what he said...probably trying to keep herself from yelling at him outright...but a moment later she nodded her head once. "Shizune!"

The Hokage's aide stuck her head into the room. "Yes, Hokage?"

"Check to see who's available for an immediate mission."

"Yes, Hokage. What level?"

Tsunade met Shikamaru's gaze once more and he did his best to present a brave face. She sighed and turned turned Shizune. "S-rank. Two squads...and tell them they leave in one hour!"

Shizune nodded briskly before disappearing back into the hallway. Tsunade ran her hands through her hair and then moved around the desk to sit back in her chair. "Shikamaru...make sure you bring them back...alive."

Shikamaru bowed deeply. "I'll do my best, Hokage."

Pakkun jumped down to stand next to him. "Get it right, kid..._we'll_ do our best."

With that...Shikamaru and Pakkun left to get ready for the next part of their mission...all the while hoping that this change to the initial plan wouldn't result in a loss of life.

-- --

* * *

"Leave him alone, you bastard! He can't even fight back!"

Kakashi heard Naruto's protests through a haze of pain. He turned his head until he could see his teammate, and frowned. The Akatsuki's blond-haired member, Deidara, held the young man firmly in a headlock, keeping Naruto from coming any closer.

Kakashi tried to reassure Naruto that he was okay – but Obito's foot connected with his stomach again causing his words to die in his throat as his air was forced from his lungs. He coughed and wasn't surprised in the least when blood coated his lips even as he was left gasping for air.

Kakashi felt Obito's hand thread itself into his hair and readied himself mentally for the sickening lurch of his body when the man pulled him back into a sitting position. Kakashi tried not to flinch when he saw Obito's other hand pull back into a fist and head toward his face. The white-hot pain as he was struck once more made him wonder if he'd live long enough to put his plan into action after all.

"Tobi! That's _enough_!"

Pein's command was enough to cause Obito to pause in Kakashi's brutal pummeling, but not quite enough to keep the man from forcibly throwing his captive to the ground. One last kick from Obito into the small of Kakashi's back brought a pained grunt from his lips. Kakashi lay gasping on the floor – his body was twisted so he was lying on his side with a clear view of where Naruto was still struggling against Deidara's grip.

A startled yelp from across the room forced Kakashi to refocus on Naruto. Deidara was gripping his bloody arm, while Naruto was desperately scrambling toward him...a red-tinge around his lips showing he must have bitten Deidara in order to break free. The look of concern in the young man's eyes was genuine, and Kakashi knew Naruto had figured out this latest wrinkle – namely Obito beating the crap out of him – was most definitely _not_ part of the original plan. He felt Naruto's arms slide around him and pull him protectively against his body, even as Kakashi watched the three members of the Akatsuki move toward them.

Kakashi felt, rather than saw, the telltale flare of chakra that meant the Kyuubi was beginning to stir. While he was glad to know Naruto thought enough of him to trigger such a strong, protective reaction, Kakashi knew they couldn't afford the likely results such an action would result in. So Kakashi pitched his words so only Naruto would be able to hear them.

"Naruto – calm down. Now isn't the time or the place. They won't kill me...not yet, anyhow...so relax...got it?"

He felt the jinchuriki tense under him as those words sank in. Slowly, the younger man's chakra receded and Kakashi allowed himself to relax a bit more into Naruto's arms. The boy's words were whispered close to his ear.

"I _hate_ this Kakashi-sensei. It isn't right...what they're doing to you...why don't they beat me instead? I can take it. Why keep hurting _you_? You can't even fight back, dammit!"

Kakashi continued keeping a wary eye on the approaching Akatsuki while he replied. "Naruto, there are two clear reasons they are doing it this way. First – they know you care about what happens to me...so hurting me will hurt you without causing damage to you. Do you understand that?"

He felt the younger man slowly nod his head against his shoulder. "I don't like it, Sensei...but I understand it."

Kakashi chuckled and then winced at the shock of pain it caused. Evidently Obito managed to crack some ribs this time around. He pushed the pain out of his mind and concentrated on what he was saying.

"The second reason, Naruto, has absolutely _nothing_ to do with you."

Naruto shifted Kakashi until he could see the younger man's blue eyes. "What the hell do you mean by that, Kakashi-sensei?"

Both Konoha ninja cringed at the entrance of a third party to their conversation. "He means, _boy_, that it's between him and me. Isn't that right, Kakashi?"

Obito reached down and fisted a hand into Kakashi's hair once more. It was so quick that Naruto could only sit and stare when the man yanked him loose of his grip. By the time Kakashi's body hit the ground near Pein's feet, Deidara and Obito both had Naruto firmly in their grasp. Kakashi glared back at the Uchiha...his eyes narrowing at his one-time teammate...and his words laced with venom.

"What happened to you, Obito? What did _he_ promise you to make you turn into such an unfeeling man?"

Obito's laughter was so far removed from the laughs of their youth that it ran through Kakashi's veins like ice. "I should take that as a compliment, Kakashi. If anyone alive knows what it means to be an unfeeling bastard, it would be you...wouldn't it, _Hatake_? You – who wanted to leave Rin behind...just to finish a damned mission! You – who cared only for the rules...who thought they were _so much better_ than the rest of us! Even at thirteen, you thought that way! After all, you were the great Kakashi Hatake...the genius prodigy...favorite student of the Yellow Flash..._destined_ to outshine the infamous White Fang of Konoha!"

Obito threw a kunai toward where Kakashi was lying...just narrowly missing his chin. "What would White Fang think of you now, Kakashi? Ha! You're a joke...nothing but a fraud who built his reputation on something that didn't even belong to him!"

Kakashi let the silence build a bit before he answered his one time friend. "Is that what this is all about, Obito? You're upset because I became famous with an eye that you could barely manage to use? Is that really what this is about? Jealousy?"

Kakashi watched the muscles in Obito's shoulders tense...the only sign of the man's anger that he could read while he wore that ridiculous whirlpool mask. Deidara's voice broke the growing tension.

"Wait a minute, hn...Tobi are you saying that _you're_ the reason the Copy-ninja exists in the first place?"

Obito spun his head back to face the blond. "So what if I am? It doesn't matter...because _I_ will also be the reason the Copy-ninja finally _dies_!"

"That may yet be true Tobi...but _not_ until after this evening's events. Am I clear?"

Pein's tone caused both members of the Akatsuki to stop their bantering and turn their full attention to their Leader. Kakashi felt the red-head's hands on his arms a moment later, and he was lifted off the ground with an ease that made Pein's strength clear. Kakashi was pulled in close to Pein's body, and he felt the rush of air across his neck when the man spoke again.

"My original intention was to leave you here, Kakashi, while we extracted the Nine-tailed beast from the boy using your own chakra. But now I would prefer to keep you closer during the process." Pein moved him with ease across the room until they were standing in front of where Naruto was being held. "After all, perhaps the jinchuriki will be more cooperative if he understands your life will be forfeit should he cause us undue trouble."

Kakashi had to resist the urge to smile with relief at this latest revelation. It was the one part of his impromptu plan that he had yet to figure out...how to make sure he was present during the extraction jutsu. Thankfully Naruto distracted the enemy by trying to break free at that exact moment.

"I'll _kill_ you before I let you hurt Kakashi-sensei any more – you bastard!"

Naruto nearly managed to break loose, but a well-placed hit to the back of the young man's neck put an end to his struggles and caused him to lose consciousness and fall to the ground. Pein shifted his grip on Kakashi until he could lift him into his arms.

"Bring the boy to the main hall – it's time we finished this."

Kakashi felt the wave of killing intent flow at him from Obito. "Yes...it's definitely time we finished this...once and for all, _Hatake_."

The tone of Obito's voice reminded Kakashi that his past friend was not the only one within the Uchiha's mind, and not for the first time, he wondered if he'd manage to pull this off. Kakashi closed his eyes as Pein carried his beaten body effortlessly out of the cell room and down the halls. The steady throb of pain within Kakashi's abdomen was a constant reminder of the task Jiraiya left for him to carry out. He concentrated on that to refocus his mind on what truly mattered. One way or another – succeed or fail – this would all be over tonight.

Kakashi could only hope that this final sacrifice would be enough to stop the Akatsuki's plans, and perhaps, if he were truly lucky, save Naruto once and for all. He'd waste energy worrying about Obito only if they both managed to survive the final move of this game.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The Final Act

Obito was beyond frustrated. He'd spent the last twenty minutes trying to point out the basic flaw in the Leader's decision to prop Kakashi up against the wall of the main hall for a front-row seat to the extraction of the Nine-tailed beast. But Pein wasn't listening to him at all. No – instead of heeding his warnings that Kakashi Hatake couldn't be trusted - the damn fool was looking at the silver-haired bastard like he was some sort of favorite toy.

"Dammit, Pein, why can't you see this is just asking for something to go wrong?"

Finally, Pein turned his black and white gaze to lock with Obito's. "Tobi – just because _you_ have been so easily manipulated by this man in the past, it does not mean the same will happen now. Besides, I believe even you would have to admit the Copy-ninja has been appropriately subdued, isn't that correct?"

Obito scowled behind his mask. He did actually agree that Kakashi was apparently incapacitated...but he had known the man long enough to recognize the glint in his dark eye. Kakashi Hatake was up to something...and it could only mean trouble for the Akatsuki's plans. Before Obito had a chance to continue his argument, Pein moved his hands into position and performed the jutsu to summon the large stone storage vessel that currently held eight of the nine demons. Obito sighed and took one last look at Kakashi before heading toward his assigned position on the outstretched fingers of the stone idol. He had to admit that the man seemed outright stunned at the appearance of the monolith, and that fact in itself gave Obito a moment of satisfaction. If this was enough to surprise the Copy-ninja, perhaps there truly was nothing to worry about for now.

Besides...in just a few days from now, he would receive Pein's approval to finish the arrogant bastard off once and for all. Obito smiled under his mask, even as he heard to quite laughter from Madara caressing his mind. One way or another...this would all be over soon.

-- --

* * *

Kakashi watched helplessly as Naruto's unconscious body was dropped in front of the stone idol. He felt his heart start to race at the sheer insanity of what he'd thought was a brilliant plan at the start of all of this. Here he was – immobilized in a way that even _he_ could not overcome – while Naruto was about to be sacrificed in what Gaara had described as the most excruciatingly painful process known.

A pained grunt was pulled out of Kakashi's throat when he felt his chakra being pulled toward the chakra rods throughout his body. A moment later he saw the mouth of the idol gape open...the sound of stone scraping on stone echoing throughout the cavernous room. A thin film of sweat covered Kakashi's brow as he fought within himself to keep some of his chakra from fueling those rods...even as he saw a thick stream of energy flow from that stone mouth, take the form of a dragon, and surge toward the prone body of Naruto. That dragon opened its mouth and swallowed the young man whole – surrounding him with an unearthly glow and causing the body to rise high into the air. Kakashi's eyes went wide as the Akatsuki members all made the same hand sign. A moment later, Naruto's mouth and eyes opened wide in a silent scream, and Kakashi saw what could only be the essence of the Kyuubi being forcefully ripped away from the boy.

_Dammit_! Kakashi wasn't ready for this yet. Naruto was supposed to be awake before the extraction started. Kakashi was counting on that fact in order to have any hope of the boy coming out of this alive. He closed his eyes and tried to slow his heartbeat down and still his mind. He needed to reevaluate the plan and find a way to work with it...whatever it took in order to end the Akatsuki's plans...even if it resulted in both his and Naruto's deaths.

Kakashi reopened his eyes and focused on the arched back of his ex-student as it was thrashing about in the air from the extraction process. _Forgive me Minato-sensei...Master Jiraiya...but there's no other choice._

Kakashi turned his concentration inward and fed what little chakra he still had control over into the circle of crystals within his abdomen. The moment the first trace of his chakra melded with those crystals, the device took over for him and continued to siphon more and more of his unique lightening-based energy into it. That energy pooled into the very center of his being until he felt as though he were being dipped into the very heart of an active volcano. The sharpness took his breath away momentarily, and his vision blurred causing him to temporarily forget himself and his task. But in that moment of utter internal agony, Kakashi saw the faces of the two men who had molded who he'd become...Jiraiya and Minato...and he felt their faith flow through his veins, giving him the strength to refocus once more on what was going on around him.

Kakashi continued to allow the device buried deep within him to slowly suck his chakra into it – and in an attempt to keep Pein from recognizing what was happening - continued to feed the majority of the energy into the chakra rods riddled throughout his body. At last, he began to see the path that was being laid out in front of him. He'd always known he'd die protecting the Leaf Village one day. But, to be honest with himself, he'd figured it would have been in some fierce battle, where he'd take the enemy with him into the afterlife. The epic final battle of the Copy-ninja would be the stuff of legends, and he'd never really be forgotten as long as the stories of that battle continued on.

It wasn't that Kakashi wanted to live forever...hell no...but he had wanted to have a bit more control over that final moment. Of course, in his own strange way Kakashi _was_ still in control of the end...it just wasn't exactly as he'd always imagined it. The battlefield consisted of a handful of the Akatsuki scattered across a stone idol...locked in a complex jutsu...while the son of his sensei hung helplessly in the air having his very being torn in two. And Kakashi wouldn't be slicing through the enemy in a final blaze of glory...no...he'd be putting his very essence into a final act that he wasn't even one hundred percent sure would work.

Kakashi allowed a small smile to grace his lips. Now wasn't a time for doubts. He knew that Jiraiya had spent the last months of his life gathering information and devising the specifics needed for this final task. He trusted the Toad Sage. And trust was not something Kakashi was in the habit of giving.

The only thing left for him to do was to figure out the timing for final activation of the device. Kakashi pushed back the urge to scream out as a new level of agony wracked his body from the intense pressure building up within the ring of crystals. By now, sweat was rolling freely down his face and neck, but fortunately for him, Naruto's floating body was where the Akatsuki's attention was set.

Kakashi forced his vision to focus on the face of the stone idol. He saw a series of nine stone eyes set within the figure. Eight of those eyes held pupils within them, while the largest one – centered within the stone forehead – still remained blank. He quickly calculated that this blank eye was where the essence of the Kyuubi would be stored. Now, Kakashi needed to decide on one final aspect of the task...should he go ahead and release the device now...or should he wait until the Kyuubi manifested within the stone eye before making his move?

After a few more moments, Kakashi saw the telltale signs of movement within the stone eye...a swirling of darkness was beginning to congeal in the center...and he knew the decision was being taken out of his hands. Pein's voice carrying over to him only settled it for him all the more.

"I should thank you Kakashi Hatake. In your own way, you have actually reduced the jinchuriki's pain and suffering...through the addition of your chakra into the mix, the time to extract the Kyuubi has been halved."

Kakashi glared toward where the red-haired man was smiling down at him. So then it was no longer a question of when to activate the device...it was now or never. Kakashi shifted his focus to the circle of chakra crystals within his being once more and uttered the code words which would trigger its full activation. He only hoped Jiraiya was watching from above to truly enjoy the choice of words he pushed through his lips.

"Icha...Icha...Violence."

With those three simple words Kakashi set into motion the final steps of the plan. A primal scream tore from his throat as the crystal ring drew every ounce of his chakra into it and forced it out in a lightening-bright blue-white beam from his abdomen. That energy beam sailed through the air to strike the stone idol directly above where the final pupil was still in the process of forming.

The surface of the idol did nothing at first...seemingly absorbing the beam without incident. For a split-second, Kakashi feared the mission was a failure, but then...with a sound similar to ice cracking on a frozen stream with the first spring thaw, the blue-white energy sent small cracks across the smooth surface of the idol. Kakashi saw Pein's eyes widen in realization that something had gone terribly wrong, and then he watched as, one after the other, the members of the Akatsuki broke off from the jutsu until the stream of chakra around Naruto disappeared and the young man fell to the ground.

Kakashi let one last smile cross his lips while the energy from his body continued to be pulled from him. If nothing else, at least Naruto would be free of the Kyuubi...if not in this lifetime, then at least in the next.

The sound of stone cracking apart filled the room, and it was quickly followed by an unearthly screech when each of the eyes storing the tailed demons was engulfed by the stream of white-hot energy from Jiraiya's device. With each beast consumed, the sound increased in volume until the very walls of the room shook and began cracking under the strain. Kakashi's last sight before his consciousness slipped away was of the ceiling caving in all around the idol, crushing the members of the Akatsuki as they scampered to escape.

-- --

* * *

By the time Shikamaru, Pakkun and the ANBU squads arrived at where the nin-hound swore his master's scent was strongest, all that they found was a pile of smoking debris. The ANBU spread out immediately to start searching for any sign of their missing comrades, using an efficiency in their searching that let Shikamaru know just how seriously they all were taking this matter. With each passing moment Pakkun became more and more agitated. Meanwhile, Shikamaru studied the destruction and frowned. There was only one thing he could think of that would do this...Kakashi had triggered the device.

The certainty of this realization struck Shikamaru like a physical blow, and before he knew it, he had dropped to his knees. Pakkun moved to his side immediately and pressed his cold nose against his hand...silently sharing in the despair threatening to pull Shikamaru under. A firm hand on his shoulder caused Shikamaru to blink back tears he hadn't realized were flowing, and gave him something to focus on outside of the overwhelming distress of losing another person so soon that he considered a teacher.

"Don't count them out until we find their bodies, Nara."

The voice, though muffled behind the stylized mask of a hawk, held the steady cadence and tone that Shikamaru had come to associate with Raidou over the years. He blinked back those tears again and nodded once – not willing to trust his own voice quite yet. If Raidou hadn't written them off yet, how could Shikamaru even consider it?

Shikamaru pushed himself to his feet and moved to help with the systematic search of the debris field. It was hard work, but for the first time in his life, Shikamaru didn't complain about it, and continued to struggle with the rocks long after some of the ANBU needed to take a break. Pakkun was never far from his side throughout the ordeal, and Shikamaru took a strange sense of comfort in the fact the pug hadn't disappeared back to wherever it was he came from.

Eventually, Raidou returned to force him and the nin-hound to take a break...threatening to sedate them both if they didn't report to where a small base camp was set up. It was during this forced break that the first sign of a body was found within the massive piles of stones and rubble. Pakkun and Shikamaru pushed their way back into the center of activity shortly thereafter, and managed to reach the epicenter just as the last of the debris was cleared away and a limp body was pulled free.

A low whimper came from Pakkun as they approached the dust-covered body. Shikamaru frowned when he saw the streaks of blood throughout a shock of blond hair. For the briefest moment he feared it was Naruto Uzimaki, but that blond hair was far too long and sleek to belong to his Academy-mate. Closer inspection revealed the body was actually that of the Akatsuki member known as Deidara. A single hand signal from the attending ANBU let it be known the man was dead, and soon thereafter all effort was returned to excavating more of the area.

Shikamaru watched with a level of detachment as the body of the enemy was removed to a secure location to be prepped for return to Konoha for autopsy. But his attention returned to the excavation a moment later when he heard a single phrase from one of the searchers.

"I've got a live one here!"

Hands moved to weapons, even as the final chunks of rock were pulled free. A collective sigh of relief could be heard as another head of blond hair was pulled up into the fading light of day. This time, there was no mistaking that it belonged to the once boisterous genin, and before he knew what was happening, Shizune appeared at the young man's side, pushing ANBU out of her way without a thought to get closer to the young man.

Raidou's voice rang out into the sudden silence that seemed to settle over the area. "Get back to work you idiots! We don't stop until we find out what happened to Kakashi Hatake!"

The resounding sound of agreement surrounded them, and while Shikamaru stayed at Shizune and Naruto's side, the rest of those gathered threw themselves back into their work. Shikamaru knelt beside his friend, taking in how pale the young man was under the layer of grime and blood covering his skin. He turned toward the medic-nin and asked what was at the forefront of his mind.

"Is he going to die?"

The dark-haired medic turned toward him and gave him a sad smile. "Yes Shikamaru, he is going to die."

Shikamaru felt as though a clamp was tightened around his heart at her statement. "I see. How long does he have?"

She wiped her hands on a cloth and looked like she was trying to calculate how much time his friend had left. "Probably another twenty or thirty years...assuming he keeps being as lucky as he was today, that is."

Shikamaru blinked at her answer and, once her words truly sank in, he groaned. "That wasn't even the slightest bit humorous."

"I don't know...I sorta liked it." Naruto's unsteady voice was followed by a short bout of coughing, causing both Shikamaru and Shizune to smile while helping him into a sitting position.

Shizune offered the young man a drink from her canteen. "Take it slowly, Naruto. We just pulled you out of a mountain of rubble."

Shikamaru watched Naruto rub at his eyes and take a better look at his surroundings. "I don't get it. Where'd the building go?"

Shikamaru shook his head at his friend. "It's gone, Naruto. What do you remember about it?"

The blond scratched at his head, obviously trying to make some sort of sense out of his ordeal. "Ummm...it's sorta fuzzy. I remember I bit that blond freak to get loose and help Kakashi-sensei. Then they took him away from me...and then...and then they were hurting him again...and I tried to get loose but then it sorta all just went dark." Naruto lowered his eyes to the ground. "I think the bastards knocked me out...cause next thing I remember is waking up here."

Shizune placed one hand on Naruto's shoulder. "It's probably part of why you survived, Naruto. Your body was relaxed, so it didn't get as damaged as it would have if you'd seen what was coming."

Pakkun chose that moment to move over to Naruto and lick his hand. Naruto looked confused for a moment and then a smile spread across his face. "Pakkun! Damn it's good to see you!" He scratched at the pug's head while craning his neck to take a look around the area. "Is Kakashi-sensei somewhere nearby?"

Pakkun turned his head away and Shizune frowned. Shikamaru was about to answer the question when the ANBU who had returned to the search called out. "We've found another one!"

Everyone seemed to hold their collective breath until another body was carried from the wreckage and brought to where Shizune was still sitting. As the ANBU carrying the body drew closer, the shock of silver hair was the first thing that came into sight and Shikamaru found himself trying not to hope. Pakkun's mournful yip shook him free of his inaction as he moved out of the way when they set Kakashi's battered body gently on the ground.

The chakra rods were still stuck throughout Kakashi's body, and the area of his abdomen was dark with third degree burns in a circular pattern. The remainder of the man's skin was mottled with cuts and bruises and held a pallor that worried Shikamaru greatly. Shizune moved into action immediately, beginning to work on removing one of the larger chakra rods at Kakashi's shoulder. Shikamaru placed one hand gently on the woman's to get her attention.

"You need to start on his stomach, Shizune."

She frowned at him and he knew she didn't understand the significance. "The burns can wait until I stabilize his other wounds, Shikamaru. Now let me do my job."

He refused to release her hand and met her hard stare with one of his own. "No. There's a device in his abdomen that needs to be removed first."

She furrowed her brows and shifted her attention to where he told her. After a few moments where he was sure she was scanning the area, she gasped and went to work opening the tissue as quickly as she could. In much less time than it took for Sakura to place the object in the first place, Shizune removed it and placed the circle of metal and shattered crystals on the ground. Once done, she returned her attention to the rods and slowly worked her way around Kakashi's body until every single object was removed and the wounds were at least partially healed. At the end of it all, Shizune sat back and sighed, wiping away the sweat that now covered her forehead.

Shikamaru looked down into the unmasked face of the Copy-ninja. The man's eyes were shut and his face held the relaxed stance of one in sleep. Shikamaru swallowed back his fear and addressed the medic once more – mindful of how he phrased his question this time.

"Will he survive?"

Shizune seemed to pick up on his carefully chosen words and smiled softly at him. "It's too soon to tell yet, Shikamaru. But he hasn't given up on life yet. That has to count for something – right?"

"He has to survive. He just has to!" Naruto's tear-choked voice was followed by the sound of another ANBU shouting out.

"There's two more down here! At least one of them is still alive!"

Shikamaru watched Naruto's shoulders tense and his hands curl into fists. "Naruto, I doubt anyone who's pulled out is going to be in any shape to cause trouble. And even if they are, we have two full squads of ANBU here to make sure they can't escape."

His words had their desired effect, and Naruto slowly relaxed his stance and returned his attention to his former Sensei. The two of them stood watch over the jonin while Shizune moved over to where the enemies were being pulled from the rubble. Pakkun moved over to Kakashi's side and wriggled his body under the man's left wrist until his head was resting on Kakashi's hip and the man's open palm was sitting on Pakkun's back. The three of them tuned out all that was going on around them and concentrated on the rise and fall of the Copy-ninja's chest, hoping each breath taken would not prove to be the jonin's last.

-- --

* * *

Zetsu watched as one after another of his brother's bodies were pulled out of the rubble and laid unceremoniously on the ground. Each one was placed under guard, and seals were affixed to them to prevent any tampering by anyone other than the ANBU guards. Zetsu had to admit he was impressed with how thorough the Konoha ANBU were in their tasks.

Still, he found the number of dead to be slightly disturbing, especially when he realized the Leaf Shinobi were _not_ among them, and he had to wonder if the Akatsuki would be able to withstand such a loss. So far, he'd seen them lay out Deidara, Kisame and Pein. Fortunately he knew that Pein's loss was only temporary, but the others were definitely going to be difficult to replace. He watched two more black-robed bodies being pulled free and he narrowed his eyes as he tried to see who they were. The first was pale-skinned with raven black hair...Itachi Uchiha...and his lifeless body was brought to where the others who were deceased were laid out. The other body was laid on the ground where they had lifted it free of the rubble, and their medic was busy hovering near their head. The bright red whirlpool mask was lifted away from Tobi's face and tossed to the side, even as the woman's hands glowed softly and settled over the Akatsuki's chest.

Zetsu had to assume they would keep the man alive for now – if for no other reason than to interrogate him – and so he decided it was time to return to where the true Leader of the Akatsuki was waiting for a report. Once they went over what happened, Zetsu would have a better idea of what the next steps should be. Meanwhile, he'd leave Tobi to the Konoha ANBU until it was time to free him, knowing the man would not be so easy to break.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

After the Dust Settles

Kakashi was pulled from the comfortable darkness surrounding him when he felt fingers prying open his right eyelid. His heart raced while he tried to figure out who was doing it. Had he failed in his attempt to destroy the stone idol? Was this one of the Akatsuki?

"Kakashi-sensei? Can you hear me?" The concern in the soft baritone voice washed over him.

_Well...that rules out the Akatsuki at least. _Kakashi tried to answer, but only managed to push out a groan. But that seemed to be an acceptable response based on the whirlwind of activity and noise that followed.

"He's awake! Quick – let Shizune know!"

Kakashi's mind was trying to grasp the meaning behind what he'd heard. Obviously he'd survived the ordeal. The question now was...did he succeed? He forced his eye open on his own and blinked a few times until his vision cleared. Hovering over him with a frown settled on his face was Shikamaru Nara. Kakashi curled his eye into what passed for a smile and pushed a single word through his parched lips.

"Yo."

Shikamaru's frown twitched into a smirk. "Troublesome."

The two shared a silent moment of relief – although each for their own reasons – before Kakashi grew serious and pushed another word through his lips. "Report."

Shikamaru sighed and then rubbed at one of his eyes with his fingertips. That action alone let him see just how exhausted the young man was. "If your intention was to bring down the Akatsuki headquarters around your ears, Kakashi-sensei, then the mission was a success."

Kakashi closed his eye and pushed one more word out...this time as a question. "Naruto?"

Shikamaru's chuckle caused him to open his eyes, and he saw a grin stretched across the chunin's face. "Ask him yourself."

The familiar shock of blond hair tipped into his line of sight, and Kakashi couldn't help but smile as the young man's tears fell onto his unmasked face.

"Don't scare us like that Kakashi-sensei! We didn't think you were going to wake up!"

Kakashi tried to sit up and failed miserably...managing only to lift his head slightly. "Naruto...stop leaking on me."

He watched Naruto rub at his eyes with the back of his hands and sit back a bit. "Sorry...I didn't mean to get you wet."

Kakashi chuckled and took a closer look at Naruto. The young man was covered in a layer of dirt, his black and orange clothing was tattered in spots, with streaks of blood showing against his tanned skin. "I'm glad to see you made it through, Naruto. Are you badly hurt?"

Naruto looked almost embarrassed as he scratched at his ear. "Not really. Just a few bruises and scratches."

Kakashi narrowed his eye. How was it that Naruto had no serious injuries after having a building cave in on him? It could only mean one thing..._dammit_...the Kyuubi must still be attached to him. Kakashi started to open his left eyelid so he could verify his theory, when the unmistakable voice of Shizune caused him to freeze the motion.

"Don't you _dare_ do what I think you're about to do, Kakashi Hatake! You don't have enough chakra at this point to fuel that thing for more than a second before you'd pass out again!"

He frowned. Now that she said that, he took a moment to evaluate his own state of health. Shizune was right...his chakra levels were dangerously low, and if he had opened his eyelid, there was no saying how much longer he'd be incapacitated.

He smiled up at the medic-ninja. "Mah – sorry about that Shizune. So how long before I can use it?"

She blushed slightly at his smile and ran a damp cloth over Kakashi's brow. "I'm not sure Kakashi. I've requested someone from the Hyuga clan to meet us at the hospital in Konoha once we return to properly evaluate your...ummm...situation."

Kakashi swallowed back the fear that was starting to grow in the pit of his stomach. "And what situation might that be, Shizune?"

The medic placed a smile on her face that Kakashi knew was fake, and the feeling of uneasiness doubled. "It's nothing to worry yourself about Kakashi. It's just that...well, that device in your stomach may have caused some damage to your pathways. But I'm sure once the right people check you over, everything will turn out just fine."

Kakashi caught the edge of despair in the woman's brown eyes, and when he turned to look at Shikamaru, he saw a similar sight on the young chunin's face. Before he could worry too much more about it, an ANBU wearing a Hawk mask stepped into view.

"Now that he's awake, Shizune, how long until we can chance moving him?"

Kakashi didn't like the way Hawk phrased that bit, and he made it clear with his tone. "What do you mean by chance moving me? What aren't you telling me?"

Hawk turned the expressionless mask in his direction. "Don't worry about it right now, Senpai."

"Stop coddling me you ass! Give me the details before I beat them out of you!"

The only reaction to his words from Hawk was the clenching of his right fist...but with that movement came words that sent ice through Kakashi's veins. "I truly wish you _could_ beat them out of me, Kakashi. But until we can get you to Lady Tsunade and the Hyuga clan I'm afraid that isn't really an option."

Now Kakashi was furious. Why did Hawk continue to speak in riddles when all he wanted was a straight answer? Shikamaru seemed to sense his growing ire and placed one hand on Kakashi's shoulder, drawing his gaze in the process.

"Kakashi-sensei, what none of these geniuses are willing to tell you is that there are major injuries – not just to your chakra pathways – but to your nervous system as well. If we move too hastily...or without the proper precautions...we run the risk of paralyzing you – permanently. We'd all prefer _not_ to have that happen."

Kakashi's eye went wide at Shikamaru's explanation. He'd thought he was prepared to hear just about anything...but being paralyzed was most definitely _not_ something he'd expected. He stared at the younger man for quite some time before he finally found his voice again.

"I'd prefer that as well, Shikamaru."

Hawk knelt down next to him. "You never can manage to do things halfway, can you, Senpai?"

Kakashi smirked. "Where'd the fun be in that?"

Shizune smiled at them. "Okay – so let's get the patients ready to go then."

Kakashi frowned. "Patients? I thought Naruto was fine?"

Kakashi watched a dark look cross Naruto's face. "I am, Sensei. She's talking about _him_."

Kakashi raised his brows at the remark. "Him?"

Now Naruto scowled. "That asshole who beat the crap out of you. _They_ decided to bring him back to Konoha." Naruto crossed his arms in front of him. "_I_ wanted to kill him."

Kakashi couldn't believe what he'd heard. Obito truly had to have the luck of the foolish to have survived _two_ cave-ins. Kakashi took a deep breath and turned his head to face Hawk. "What about the others?"

"Besides the one Naruto is referring to, we found another four bodies in the rubble. None of them survived. They've been prepared for transportation and sealed into scrolls for deliver to autopsy once we return."

Kakashi frowned. "Only four more?"

Hawk tipped his head slightly to the right. "Should there have been more?"

Kakashi sighed, trying to recall how many he may have seen perched atop those stone fingers. Some of them seemed see-through, but he was certain a total of six had been physically present for the jutsu. "At least one more."

Pakkun's cold nose pressed up against Kakashi's cheek. "There's no one else left under that rubble, Pup. I'm certain of it."

The gruff voice of the pug wiped away any lingering doubts he may have had. After all, he was the one who'd trained Pakkun in search and rescue tactics...so he knew the pug's nose was second to none. "Right. So that means at least one of the bastards escaped. One more reason we really need to get moving sooner rather than later."

"Kakashi, are you feeling any pain at the moment?" The tone of Shizune's voice showed she was back in medic-mode once more.

He took a moment to think about it before answering the woman. "No real pain...just a constant pressure in a couple of spots."

"Good...that means the meds have kicked in. I'm going to have you transferred onto an extraction stretcher. It's not the most comfortable way to travel, I'm afraid...but it will allow us to move you in the quickest way possible without risking any additional damage."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes at her. "What about the _other_ patient?"

Shizune looked over her shoulder in the direction that Kakashi had to assume was where Obito was being guarded. "He'll be drugged into unconsciousness and strapped into his stretcher. I'm not as concerned about causing _him_ any more damage right now."

Kakashi had never heard such disgust in Shizune's voice before. It was obvious she recognized Obito for who he was, but it was equally obvious she had no intention of treating him as a member of Konoha. Kakashi simply nodded his acceptance of her judgment, and allowed them to move his battered body onto the stretcher. His eyes slid shut as his body was gently rocked by the motion of the four ANBU shinobi carrying him home.

-- --

* * *

Madara Uchiha was furious. They'd been _so close_...just a few moments more and the Nine-tails would have been secured. Then...at last...he would have had his hands around the throat of that Hatake bastard. But no...it hadn't happened that way...all because Pein refused to see what was plain as day to Madara. That as long as a Hatake was involved..._nothing_ would ever go as planned.

"_I'm so sorry Madara. I tried to convince him, but he just wouldn't listen!"_

Madara spun within his pawn's mind to where Obito Uchiha's essence was cowering in a corner. He frowned at the pathetic excuse for an Uchiha. If this was what his family's bloodline was producing, he was even more glad he'd forced the extermination of the clan when he had.

"_Stop whining...try acting like an Uchiha for a change!"_

He watched Obito flinch at the words and then direct a glare at him. _"I would, but there's no one left in the clan to kill now that Itachi is dead!"_

Madara smirked at the answer. The younger Uchiha's sarcastic humor reminded him of his brother. And, of course, thoughts of his brother led him to thoughts of that fateful day he was driven to take his brother's eyes from him. The day when he'd crossed the line to do whatever he could to keep his sight, and found himself trapped in the never ending urge to obtain more power...not just for himself...but for all of the Uchiha clan as well.

He'd worked so hard to share the secrets of acquiring that power with those strong enough to follow him...but in the end they hadn't been strong at all. His own clan had turned against him and threw him out – choosing to follow the Senju clan's leaders instead. He scowled at the thought of what followed...how he'd wandered from village to village trying to find some way to get back at the Senju brothers. And how he'd managed to find a way to strike back at the Village Hidden in the Leaves...thanks to the Kyuubi.

Madara frowned. After that first Kyuubi fiasco, however, once again he'd had to wander the Five Great Countries...forever plotting against the Senju clan and the village that they'd built on the backs of the Uchiha. And it definitely was forever...oh yes...that was something he had never expected when he transplanted his younger brother's eyes into his head...that he would live forever. If one could call this living anymore.

He turned his attention back to the essence of his current host-body. He supposed he should be thankful the fool managed to survive the cave-in...after all, Madara really wasn't sure what would happen if he failed to detach himself from the host before that body was killed. And it was one experiment he really wasn't ready to attempt quite yet.

"_Pull yourself together Obito. If we manage to survive this, I'm sure we could always track down Itachi's useless younger brother, Sasuke for you. Is that what you'd like?"_

Obito crossed his arms and glared back at him. _"Why do you do that?"_

Madara arched an eyebrow at the younger man. _"Be a little more specific, Obito."_

"_Why do you always twist everything around to make me feel useless?"_

Madara laughed...the sound echoing within Obito's mind. _"Oh, but you are far from useless to me, my boy. In fact – if it weren't from you I might never have found a way to exact revenge on the Hatake clan after all this time."_

The frustrated sigh from Obito made him chuckle all the more. _"I still don't understand why you would risk so much just to help me have revenge on Kakashi?"_

"_Do you honestly think this has anything to do with you, Obito?"_

He watched the younger Uchiha scratch at his lower jaw. _"What the hell does that mean? Of course it has to do with me! You're using my body!"_

Madara rolled his eyes – well, his brother's eyes to be technical – and moved closer to where Obito was standing within his mind. _"You were simply the means to an end, my boy. Through you, I have a direct line to _him_...and for that reason alone I stuck with you...even though I had plenty of opportunity to switch to your cousin over the past few years."_

Obito shook his head in obvious confusion. _"But Itachi knew Kakashi too..."_

Madara cut him off. _"Ah – true enough...but Itachi betrayed Kakashi's trust...so he would never get as close to the Hatake brat as I needed. You, however...you are a ghost from that man's past. You provide an irresistible chance for him to erase what he surely still considers his greatest mistake."_

Obito frowned. _"You told me you saw great potential in me. You promised you'd show me all the secrets of our clan so I could pay Kakashi back for Rin's death. Was it all a lie?"_

"_I prefer to think of it as a partial truth, my boy. Because, by grooming you to have your revenge on Kakashi, I can finally have my own revenge against the Hatake clan."_

Obito sighed. _"I still don't understand."_

Madara smiled. _"Of course you don't, Obito. But don't worry – by the time we're finished with Kakashi Hatake, you will understand the whole story. You have my word."_


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Whispers In The Night

Tsunade ran her palm across her forehead in an attempt to push back her growing headache. It had been one week since the ANBU squad had returned carrying Kakashi's beaten and broken body in the extraction stretcher. One week since she'd had a moments peace as she tried desperately to come up with some way to rebuild the damaged pathways within her best shinobi's body. One week since she'd promised herself she would _not_ give up...no matter how hopeless it all seemed. One week since she'd forced Kakashi into unconsciousness so she could perform the needed tests and procedures without taxing his body more than she was. Now she was waiting for the Copy-ninja to pull himself out of that drug-induced slumber so she could discuss his options with him.

Tsunade blinked back her unshed tears at the haggard sound of Kakashi's voice. "Is he awake yet?"

She frowned and moved over to the bed Kakashi was trapped in. She knew exactly who he was referring to without asking. "No, Kakashi. Obito Uchiha is safely in the secure wing and still quite unconscious."

Kakashi sighed in what could only be relief. "Good. I need to tell you a few things before he wakes up."

She shook her head gently at him. "Don't waste your energy worrying about that fool, Kakashi. Just concentrate on yourself for a change. We did quite a bit to you while you were out, and I'd like to know if any of it worked. Besides, the Yamanaka clan will start their interrogation today and the bastard doesn't need to be awake for that!"

She watched Kakashi's look of relief fade away to be replaced by one of utter disbelief. Tsunade's eyes went wide when she saw the jonin struggle to try to get off the bed, and he would have succeeded if she hadn't had the foresight to use restraints on him.

"Let me off this thing – I have to stop them!"

Tsunade stepped closer and physically pushed the younger man down. On one hand she was thrilled to see him able to move his arms and legs again...but where the hell he was coming up with such strength was beyond her. "Kakashi, calm down! You're only going to undo what I've managed to fix up to now!"

Kakashi locked his eyes with hers and the emotions raging in that mismatched gaze took her breath away. "Dammit Tsunade, you have to stop them – _NOW_!"

Unsure what was causing this reaction, Tsunade allowed her uncertainty to switch into something far more comfortable to her – anger. "Stand down, Brat! Tell me what the hell you're talking about! Obito's still unconscious, so who the hell do I have to stop?"

Kakashi winced at the sheer volume of her voice but finally stopped struggling against her. "You need to stop anyone from entering Obito's mind. Please – he's not alone in there!"

Now _that_ definitely caught Tsunade's attention. With a single twitch in her hand toward the far corner of Kakashi's room, she sent the ANBU guard waiting in the shadows to complete the assigned task. Once done, she refocused her attention on Kakashi. He seemed calmer, although he was still quite agitated.

"Alright Kakashi, now tell me why the hell I just stopped what was likely to be the only way for us to know what the Akatsuki are planning any time soon. And make it good, Brat, or relearning to walk will be the least of your worries."

Kakashi closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. Once he reopened them, Tsunade was pleased to see a bit more sanity residing in those mismatched orbs. He met her gaze steadily.

"The mind within that body contains two Uchiha."

Tsunade waited for Kakashi to say more, but after an unbearably long silence she frowned. "Let me get this straight, Brat. You had me send the ANBU to physically stop an interrogation session because Obito Uchiha has a split personality? Are you insane?"

Kakashi shook his head. "No, Hokage. I had you send the ANBU to stop one of the Yamanaka from allowing Madara Uchiha the opportunity to jump host bodies."

Tsunade knew her jaw had dropped open after Kakashi's calmly spoken statement. And she knew the color very likely had drained from her face as well. Still, she couldn't possibly have heard what she'd thought she heard...right? There was no way Kakashi had uttered the name she had heard. A shiver ran down her spine. No way could Kakashi have said Madara Uchiha.

"Tsunade, are you okay?"

She drew in a shaky breath and chuckled. "Of course I am, Kakashi. I just thought you said something that you couldn't have, that's all."

She watched him roll his eyes. "I know I didn't stutter, Hokage...and I know you know who I'm referring to."

She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to fight off the sudden chill she felt in the room. "Kakashi, you must be mistaken."

He shook his head. "Have you ever known me to be mistaken, Tsunade? When it really counted?"

She frowned. "No."

"If any of the Yamanaka linked with Obito's mind, they would have met up with the essence of Madara Uchiha and, you know better than most, they would have been unable to match his skill or power."

She turned toward the window of the hospital room, her mind spinning from Kakashi's words. Her memories went back to the day the body of her father was laid to rest after a run-in with a rogue group of Uchiha after the War. Her Uncle had told her about Madara's attack, and how the Uchiha barely broke a sweat as he caught her father's mind within one of the higher level techniques of the sharingan. The damage done was so severe that her father died within his mind before the Uchiha even broke contact. Moments after Madara released him, her father's organs shut down...his body dying shortly after his mind.

Tsunade's voice was tight in her throat. "How could he still be alive? It's impossible."

Kakashi's own voice held an edge of disgust in it. "How could Orochimaru move from body to body? There is still so much about chakra and life forces that we will never understand. But still, I know what I saw during my time with the Akatsuki...and it is the only explanation I can come up with. Based on the comments and actions of Obito during that time, it was obvious he was not alone in his mind. And based on the references that other entity made to me while in control of him, and the skills Obito was able to show, there can be no other explanation."

Tsunade furrowed her brow and placed one manicured finger in her mouth. She chewed on the nail while she ran Kakashi's words through her mind. After moving on to two more fingers she lowered her head in acceptance and, after a few moments, met the jonin's eyes once more. "Well then, getting you back on your feet has just moved up the priority list, Brat. Cause there's no way in hell that I'm going to face that sadistic bastard on my own."

Kakashi frowned. "What about Obito?"

Tsunade tugged at her earlobe. "What about him, Kakashi? We still need to know what the Akatsuki have planned, but in my opinion, it won't kill any of us to keep the bastard unconscious a few more days."

She saw him about to argue and held one hand up to silence him. "Kakashi – I fully intend to interrogate Obito Uchiha, but when I do, it will be with a full understanding of just who is sharing that thick skull of his. I refuse to let that bastard win...and I intend to have you at my side when the time comes."

Kakashi turned his head away form her for a moment before facing her once more with a firm look of resolve in his gray and red eyes. "Well then, can you remove the restraints if I promise to be a good boy? Otherwise I might find it difficult to try walking anytime soon."

Tsunade smiled at the irreverent jonin who had somehow managed to wriggle his way into her heart. "I don't know, Brat. Something tells me you'll use the opportunity to disappear from the hospital the moment the cuffs are off."

She nearly choked at the pathetic lost puppy dog look the man placed on his face. "Mah – don't say things like that Tsunade...I might cry."

She moved to the first restraint and slapped him lightly against the shoulder before releasing the catch. "Don't make me regret this decision, Brat...or I'll definitely hunt you down and give you a reason to cry!"

The movement behind his mask made it clear to her that he was smirking. "Yes ma'am!"

She chuckled and helped him sit up on the bed. "Kakashi...seriously. I need you to do everything the staff tells you to do – no arguments. If you want to walk again, let alone use jutsu, every step needs to be followed precisely. Am I clear?"

"Crystal clear, Hokage." She was glad to hear the seriousness in his voice.

"Good. Now wait here and I'll be sending your first taskmaster in with an injection and some pills for you to swallow." The look on Kakashi's face almost made her laugh again. "Without the meds Kakashi, you aren't allowed off that bed. It's your choice."

He scowled at her and crossed his arms. "Some choice."

She smiled brightly at him. "You really shouldn't complain, Brat. It's this very combination of medication that has made you able to cross your arms in the first place."

Kakashi lifted one hand up and rubbed at the back of his neck. "Right. I suppose you have a point there, Hokage."

Tsunade chuckled. "Remember Kakashi...do what they tell you...but _do not_ do more than that!"

She saw him cringe. "Whatever you say Hokage."

With that, Tsunade left to get his medication and the first in a long stream of taskmasters to start bringing Kakashi back to fighting form. With luck, the jonin would follow her directions without traumatizing too many of her medics.

-- --

* * *

Two more weeks had passed and Kakashi was more than sick of the attention he was getting. Morning, noon and night were filled with visits from more medics than he'd ever realized existed in all of the Five Countries, let alone just in Konoha! But he had accepted the fact he needed them to speed his recovery along. In fact, because of their diligent work, he could now walk the length of the hospital halls with little more than a cane to assist him...which brought him to his current dilemma. How could he slip away from the steady stream of assailants that came in the guise of medics and nurses and find his way to where he knew Obito was being kept?

Kakashi knew that Tsunade and the others felt that there was no danger to Konoha from the Uchiha as long as they kept him adequately sedated. The problem was...Obito's mind wasn't alone. And as much as Kakashi wanted to fall into the mindset of everyone around him, he knew better. He had stared into Obito's eye and found the disturbing presence of Madara lying far too close to the surface for his liking. He'd been witness on more than one occasion to the fierce hatred that man's essence carried with it...and he knew Madara wouldn't rest until he found some way to work around the drugs coursing through Obito's body.

"Are you listening to me, Kakashi?!?" The high-pitched nasal twang of his current tormentor broke him from his train of thought.

Kakashi rubbed one hand along the back of his neck. "If I say yes does that mean I don't need to hear it again?"

The buxom red-haired medic rolled her eyes and sighed. "No, Kakashi...it just means I might have to change my mind about letting you walk the halls on your own today."

_That_ definitely caught and held Kakashi's attention. "On my own?"

She smiled at him and nodded in his direction. "Your test results came back showing your leg muscles are almost at ninety percent already. All that's left to bring them back to one hundred percent is for you to keep the circulation going at an optimum rate. The best way to do that, until you are cleared to train again, that is, will be by walking whenever you aren't in therapy sessions."

"Walking?" Kakashi held back the urge to laugh at how this would play into his plans. "What about stairs? Can I do the stairs on my own too?"

The medic scratched her nose. "Stairs? You've started doing them in your other sessions already? Well then...I see no reason you can't do them on your own as well. Just don't overdo it Kakashi. Lady Tsunade will take it out on both of us."

He winked in her direction and she blushed. "It'll be our little secret then."

She gathered her papers and ointments together and headed out the door. Kakashi waited a few moments longer before pushing himself off the edge of his bed and wincing slightly when he shifted his weight to allow him to stand straight. He made his way over to where the door was and smiled to himself. He may as well take advantage of his reprieve while he could. After all...once Tsunade discovered what he was up to she would very likely break his legs herself to keep him from trying it again.

Kakashi laughed at himself for that thought and took a moment to place the robe hanging near the door on over his hospital issued pants and shirt. He even paused to place on the flimsy slippers that were lined up on the floor under where the robe once hung. After all, he wasn't technically sneaking around if the medic said it was okay...so there was no reason he shouldn't look the part of the compliant patient...right?

He shoved his hands into the shallow pockets of the robe – wishing he had one of his Icha Icha books at hand – and began his journey down to the end of the hall and back again. The guards and medics posted along the floor lost interest in him after his third or fourth lap of the narrow hallway, and soon enough ignored him completely. Kakashi made one more circuit of the hall before deeming it time to shift to Phase Two of _Operation Obito_ – as he'd taken to calling it in his head.

One more quick glance down the white-walled hall and Kakashi slipped into a nearby stairwell. He paused to try and remember what Tsunade had told him about Obito. The secure wing...that's right...they were keeping Obito in the secure wing. That would be located in the sub-basement, and he was currently on the third floor. Kakashi stared down the stairwell and sighed. At least he didn't need to climb _up_ the stairs...that was something.

By the time Kakashi had walked down the first flight he could feel his quad muscles protesting the movement. By the time he'd gone down two more flights, a cold sweat was soaking his shirt from the exertion. He paused at the bottom of the final flight of stairs and wondered just what the hell made him think this was a good idea in the first place. He was most definitely _not_ ready for this level of activity yet. Of course he also was in no shape to climb back _up_ those stairs right now.

Kakashi leaned against the cool stone wall and waited until his heart rate evened out before reaching for the door to the target floor. Perhaps...if he hadn't been so throughly exhausted he might have found it strange that the door to the secure level was not trapped or guarded. Perhaps...if his mind was a little clearer he might have recognized the fact that the lights that normally keep all the shadows away in this lower level seemed strangely dim today. Perhaps...if Lady Tsunade hadn't sealed his chakra to keep him from being tempted to use it too soon he might have had some warning of what was going on in Obito's room. But he _was_ exhausted...his mind _was _clouded over...and his chakra _was_ still sealed.

So Kakashi forced his still healing legs to carry his body over the threshold and into the room where Obito Uchiha was sitting up in his bed – awake – and smiling in a most disturbing manner. Before he was three steps into the room, Kakashi's sharingan eye began throbbing behind the black patch he'd taken to wearing during his stay at the hospital. He lifted his left hand up to rub at his brow in a feeble attempt to push back the growing pain. Before he had the chance to put that arm down again, he felt large hands grab his wrists and force him toward the bed where Obito was now laughing at him.

"Is my eye bothering you Kakashi? Just say the word...and I will gladly take it back! " Kakashi watched in horror as Obito's face morphed into that of Madara Uchiha, and the man lunged toward him with a rusty scalpel in his hand. "In fact, _Hatake_ – don't say a word and I'll take it back anyway!"

Kakashi felt the blade slip into his cheek and he screamed out in pain.

-- --

* * *

Lady Tsunade ran through the halls as Kakashi's screams rang through the hospital wing. He'd been fine when she left him earlier in the day and sent in the first therapist. What the hell had happened in less than ten hours that would have the jonin screaming in such agony?

She pushed her way through a crowd of medics until she was standing next to the young man. His skin was paler than she'd ever seen it, and his back was arching off the bed in a reaction to obvious pain. At least four ANBU and a handful of medics were trying to keep him from hurting himself. But none of that was the reason why her eyes were now wide. No...it was the single stream of blood that was seeping out from under the simple black patch covering the jonin's sharingan eye.

"Dammit! Who was the last person in here with him?" She spun around and glared at the medics. "_Well_?!?"

A small, dark-haired boy with thick glasses cautiously raised his hand. "I...I was, Hokage."

"Where were you before you worked on Kakashi?"

His eyes darted over to where the Copy-ninja was being pinned down and then back up to Tsunade's face. "It was my turn to give sedatives to the Uchiha, ma'am."

She stepped up to him and gripped his face between her manicured fingertips. She stared intently into the depths of the young man's eyes and cursed like a sailor. Once finished, she turned toward the nearest ANBU.

"Fetch me whatever members of the Yamanaka clan are available and get them in my office. _NOW_!"

Once she was sure the masked shinobi had left, she motioned with her head toward the still screaming form thrashing about on the bed. "Shizune, use the full dose of sedatives on Kakashi. I need him calm before I get back."

Her aide nodded once and moved toward the side cabinets where the syringes were housed. Tsunade took one last glance at the Copy-ninja and sighed. This was not going to be a good night. She shifted one hand to hold onto the young medic's arm, and then formed the hand-sign to transport them both out of the hospital room and directly into her office. By the time they arrived, five members of the Yamanaka clan stood waiting for them.

Tsunade gently guided the young medic into a chair in front of her desk. "Sit very still, and this will all be over before you know it, okay?"

The young man swallowed deeply and nodded his head while the dark eyes behind those thick glasses grew glassy with unshed tears. Tsunade smiled sadly at him and shifted her gaze to the Yamanaka clan. "This boy was used as a catalyst in an attack on Kakashi Hatake's mind by an Uchiha. I need two of you to carefully scrape his memories for what happened, while the rest of you get over to the hospital and find some way to pull Kakashi out of whatever hell he's been trapped in!"

Without a single word the shinobi scattered and went about their assigned tasks, one group leading the young medic into another room while the others disappeared in a swirl of smoke. Tsunade sat on the edge of her desk and placed her head into the palms of her hands. She drew in a shuddering breath and let the tears flow unchecked down her cheek.

"Damn you, Madara! I _won't_ let you take another one of my precious people from me...not like this...not again!"

Her whispered words were heard by none save the two ANBU standing silent watch...and they would never repeat them to anyone.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

When Fables Become Fact

Sakura stood against the far wall of the hospital room and watched in silence while a group of ten medics and shinobi filled every available space between her and the patient. Five of the highest ranked Yamanaka clan stood around Kakashi-sensei's bed with their eyes closed and their hands laying on various parts of the man's body. Ino's dad actually stood at the top of the bed with his hands cradling the Copy-ninja's head gently. She could sense the vast quantity of chakra the blond man was forcing into her sensei's body and she frowned at how absolutely still Kakashi was under such an assault. His skin – what was showing of it, that is – was deathly pale, and she could easily see the thin trail of blood that had leaked out from under his eye patch.

Sakura frowned. In all the time she'd known the man, she'd never once seen that happen...even when Kakashi had worn himself out far beyond what would be deemed healthy for a normal shinobi. And by the way everyone around her was acting, it quickly became clear there was a hell of a lot more going on than met the eye.

"Try not to worry so much, Sakura. It'll give you wrinkles, and heaven knows you don't need to look older than you already do."

Sakura turned a tired gaze toward Ino and allowed a ghost of a smile to cross her lips at her friend's attempt to distract her. "You should know what that's like, Ino-pig."

Ino smiled back and softly jabbed Sakura in the side with her elbow. "As if, Billboard-brow."

A pained moan filled the air causing both girls to turn their full attention back toward Kakashi. Sakura blinked back tears. "Ino, what are they doing to him?"

A large sigh caused Sakura to look toward her long-time friend and rival. Ino was running her fingers idly through the ends of her long blond ponytail – a habit that Sakura knew meant her friend was worried.

"I'm not one hundred percent sure, Sakura. Dad is using some techniques I've only ever read about in some of the older clan scrolls, and honestly they were so dull I never managed to get past the basic descriptions before giving up."

Sakura rolled her eyes at how easily her friend could lose interest in things that might inevitably prove to be the key toward survival in the future. If it had been her, she would have devoured every detail of the techniques until she could conjure them up within her mind with little effort. But Ino wasn't cut from the same cloth as she was. Where Sakura had an unending thirst for knowledge, Ino had an unending urge to find the easy way out of hard work. It often made Sakura think that perhaps her friend would have been a perfect match for Shikamaru Nara, but once Sakura had recognized that Ino would never go for someone who was lazier than her, that thought had disappeared.

Sakura shook her head briefly to refocus on what was important. "Ino, do you remember _any_ of what this technique is used for? It doesn't look like Kakashi is enjoying it in the least."

She watched a look of concentration come over her friend's face as she stared back toward where the Copy-ninja was trying desperately to get free of the hands holding him down – even though the man was still unconscious. Ino bit at her lower lip in a way that meant she was trying very hard to remember something, and just when Sakura was ready to give up on her, Ino's eyes went wide and a startled gasp escaped her lips. Sakura felt her stomach clench at the absolute look of fear in Ino's eyes when her friend turned to meet her gaze.

"Sakura...Kakashi-sensei must be in real trouble...because that's the only reason they'd be trying what they're trying right now."

Ino's voice had been barely above a whisper and her skin had drained of all color. That feeling of dread in Sakura's stomach doubled.

"Ino, please just tell me what's going on!"

Sakura watched is disbelief when her friend slid down the wall to sit on the hospital room floor with her arms wrapped tightly around her knees. Once she had sat down as well, Ino met her gaze with tear-filled eyes. Sakura swallowed back the lump that inexplicably settled in her throat.

"Ino?"

A shiver wracked the blonde's body before she started to explain. "What I remember about this particular method comes more from stories my Dad used to tell me as a little girl than anything I may have read. So maybe some of it was exaggerated...right?"

There was a pleading look in Ino's eyes that made Sakura's heart skip. "Sure Ino...that's always a possibility. But why don't you tell me about it and then maybe you and I can figure out the true parts, okay?"

A small nod of Ino's head was the only sign of agreement the kunoichi gave before launching into her explanation. "Anytime I tried to use my gifts on someone without their knowledge, Dad used to tell me this story about an S-ranked missing-nin who wanted to take over the Five-countries back before my grandparents were born. This guy would make his move by taking over the minds of those weaker than himself and forcing them to attack their own leaders."

Sakura was confused. "Wait a second, Ino, isn't that what your clan does now?"

Ino frowned. "Not even close Sakura. The way Dad described it made it sound like this guy could _rewrite_ the target's mind without ever having to maintain his link. It's _nothing_ like what we do!"

Sakura looked back over to where Kakashi was still struggling against the men and women trying to help him. "So then you think that's what's going on with Kakashi-sensei? He's been taken over?"

Ino sighed in obvious frustration. "Sakura, if you'd let me finish what I was trying to tell you then you'd already know the answer to that question!"

Sakura blushed slightly at the rebuke. "Sorry Ino. Go on...please."

Ino flipped her ponytail back over her shoulder and seemed to be collecting her thoughts before she started talking again. "So, like I was saying...this guy could actually _rewrite_ anyone's mind to make it impossible to even know what they were going to do. Heck, the person targeted could even be interrogated by T&I without ever letting it out that they'd been altered. It wouldn't be until the actual attack occurred on a third party that it would finally become clear, and worst of all...the poor sap who'd been used would have absolutely _no_ memories of who did it to him to begin with!"

Sakura let a low whistle through his teeth. "Damn. No wonder you figured it was just a story."

Ino nodded. "Yeah – it's always been scary to think anyone could ever have that much power. But that isn't even the half of it. This guy had a habit of targeting other shinobi with mind abilities."

Now that caused Sakura's eyes to go wide. "But Ino...I thought people with your abilities shielded their minds to such attacks. Isn't that true?"

Ino sighed. "We do. In fact, it's the very first jutsu anyone in our clan learns...most of us before we can even walk. That's another reason I always figured it was just a fable. But now...now I'm not so sure. I mean...Sakura, is it true who they think did this to Kakashi-sensei?"

Sakura tried to remember who Lady Tsunade had said was the catalyst. "Ino, I don't know who it was. I mean, I don't know his name. He was just another medic-in-training from last year's class." She paused and tried to remember anything unique about the young man she'd seen in Tsunade's office before finding out Kakashi was in trouble. "He was a small guy... dark-hair...not as dark as Sai's, but close...oh – and he wore really thick glasses!"

Ino groaned. "I was afraid of that. That's my cousin, Kainashi. My uncle had him moved over to the medical unit after he washed out in interrogation."

Sakura frowned. "So then he has abilities like yours?"

Ino shook her head and snorted. "Not really. He couldn't mind-swap if his life depended on it. He is more of a genjutsu user than anything else. Uncle was hoping he'd be useful to Lady Tsunade when she needed to calm kids down her in the Hospital."

Ino glanced back toward Kakashi. "I never would have thought he could do _that_ to anyone...let alone the Copy-ninja."

"Wait a second, Ino. I overheard Lady Tsunade mention something about him being used as a catalyst. What do you think she meant by that?"

Ino's head snapped back toward her. "Are you serious, Sakura? Are you sure that's the word she used?"

Sakura crossed her arms and glared. "Yes, Ino. Why? Does it make a difference?"

"Sakura...weren't you even listening to the story? A catalyst is exactly what the unsuspecting chump in the story would be considered!"

Sakura tried to catch up with her friend's logic. "Let me get this straight. Your cousin didn't actually do anything to Kakashi, but some mysterious power-monger used him to set some unknown plan in action and used the kid to deliver something like a genjutsu to Kakashi-sensei, but not _quite_ a genjutsu, and now your clan can't seem to find any way to break him free of it?"

Ino leaned back against the wall and sighed. "Always knew there had to be a pretty large brain behind that forehead of yours, Sakura. But there's one thing I just don't get."

She glared at Ino but chose not to insult her in kind. "Like what?"

They both cringed when a scream ripped loose from Kakashi's throat. "Who the hell would hate Kakashi-sensei so much to go to this much trouble?"

Sakura sighed. "I'm afraid that list is too long to even start to write down, Ino. Kakashi-sensei has pissed off a lot of people in his lifetime."

Ino stared at her in obvious disbelief. "You're telling me that the Village's laziest shinobi...well, next to Shikamaru that is...has enemies powerful enough to warrant _this_ kind of attack?"

"Yeah...I'm afraid so."

The two fell into an uncomfortable silence and settled in to watch the shinobi within the room try to save Kakashi. After countless moments Sakura spoke in a whisper.

"Ino? Can you tell what's going on over there?"

"Yeah...sort of. The ones holding Kakashi-sensei down are using their ability to anchor him to this realm – sort of like surrounding him with a dozen lifelines in a way." She tipped her head to the side and frowned. "But Dad is using a technique that weaves his own mind at an almost cellular level with Kakashi's."

Sakura drew in a sharp breath. "That sounds dangerous."

Ino furrowed her brow in obvious concern. "That's because it _is_ dangerous. It's never done unless the patient is in mortal danger from whatever has their mind trapped...and even then it's not usually done. If Kakashi's mind dies while they're still linked...Dad dies too."

Sakura clasped her hands together in a nervous habit she'd had since she was a pre-genin. "How could they even tell Kakashi-sensei was in mortal danger?"

Ino drew in and released a deep breath before turning to meet Sakura's gaze. "Because whatever is going on in Kakashi-sensei's mind is manifesting in this reality. You saw the blood on his cheek, right? He's also received two more slashes to his arm and chest while we've been sitting here, and by the smell of it, he's just received a rather nasty burn just since we've started talking."

Sakura sniffed at the air and nearly choked on the acrid stench of burning flesh. "No! I have to _heal_ him!"

Ino's hand gripped her by the arm to keep Sakura from jumping to her feet. "There's nothing you can do, Sakura. The injuries can't be countered out here until Kakashi-sensei is returned from wherever the hell it is he's trapped. All we can do is hope Dad and the others can get him out of there before it's too late."

Sakura felt tears sting the corners of her eyes and sank back against the wall in defeat. Ino may be a pain in the ass from time to time, but she would never lie about something this important. All either of them could do for now was wait and hope for the best.

-- --

* * *

It took all of Kakashi's skill to twist free of his captors before that rusty scalpel could do more than slice at the skin along his left eye. But now he was outnumbered, and he was finding it increasingly difficult to keep focused on his attackers.

The two faceless men who had held him continued to remain in the shadows – reaching out to strike at him should he move too close to the door out of the room. Meanwhile, Obito's face continued to morph between that of the young Uchiha and the face of Madara. Kakashi knew that was who it was because he recalled looking through one of his father's Bingo Books when he was just a kid and asking about the mean-looking man with the funny eyes. His father had scowled at him and tried to change the topic, but Kakashi had a way of getting what he wanted back then...after all, who could resist a two-year old with a kunai?

His father had spent that night talking about how the bad man was the reason the First Hokage wasn't there anymore. But he wouldn't go into any more detail with him back then. Right about now, Kakashi was kicking himself for never thinking to ask about the bastard again once he'd grown older. Of course, that very next day Kakashi had been taught his very first ninjutsu...a B-rank wall of water. His father was so proud of him when he managed to create a small spiral of water after just three tries, that he'd brought Kakashi straight over to the Hokage Tower to show the Third just what his boy could do.

Kakashi could still see the look of shock on the water-logged Hokage's face when the jutsu generated a good sized wave this time – washing away the stacks of paperwork that had been piled neatly on his desk. And he could remember clearly the weeks of rigorous tests he'd been put through after that to try and explain away how a two-year old child could possibly harness his chakra so easily already.

In essence, Madara Uchiha was directly responsible for the beginning of Kakashi's illustrious shinobi career. He laughed out loud at the irony while sluggishly dodging another attack from one of the faceless thugs. This entire situation might have been avoided if only his toddler-curiosity hadn't gotten the best of him.

Kakashi screamed out when he felt one of the kunai slash across his chest. He hadn't sensed it coming at all...and that in itself had him concerned. As this battle continued on, he was steadily growing tired, and letting more and more strikes against him get through his defenses. His body was already covered with bruises and shallow cuts, and now one jagged gash across his chest. If this continued for much longer he'd have no way to keep the Uchiha bastard from taking what he wanted...Obito's sharingan.

"What's wrong, Hatake? Are you getting worn out already? I was truly hoping you'd prove a tougher target than that useless excuse for a father that you had."

Kakashi crouched low to the floor and growled. "Leave him out of this!"

Madara's laughter seemed to surround him. "That's rich, Kakashi! _None_ of this would be happening if it weren't for that bastard. Now then, be a good boy and _die_ for me!"

Kakashi barely had enough time to react when a spear of fire shot out toward him. He dove to the side and pulled what little chakra he had within his system to bring the most pathetic water wall he'd ever created up between him and the Uchiha. Any other time, Kakashi would have berated himself for such a waste of hand signs, but at this very moment – when the anemic little wall managed to dissipate the majority of the attack so that only a fraction of it scorched into his shoulder – Kakashi had never been happier for those lessons so long ago with his father.

Of course, now he was completely out of options...he had no weapons, no usable chakra levels left, and his limited energy was pretty much gone. Kakashi stumbled to his hands and knees, knowing that when the steam and smoke cleared that he very likely would be killed. Still, that toddler's-curiosity stuck its nose into things once more, and made him eager to know just what his father might have to do with the current circumstances.

"I promise to tell you all about it, Kakashi, if you just follow me out of here now."

Kakashi blinked to clear his eyes, wondering if he had spoken his thoughts aloud. He shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind when a piercing headache caused him to groan. When the thick smoke lifted slightly, a tall, blond man came into view. No wonder his thoughts had been so easily read. "Inoichi?"

"Yes, Kakashi. I know you can't take much more from Madara, so you need to follow me out now...before he figures out I'm here too."

Kakashi let out a shuddering breath and reached out for Inoichi's hand. When their grips met, Kakashi felt a soothing wave of the elder Yamanaka's chakra envelop him. He tipped his head until he could look into Inoichi's eyes. "What took you so long?"

The older shinobi had the shadow of a smile on his lips and looked like he was about to answer Kakashi when his face twisted into a mask of pain. Kakashi looked down and saw the tip of a katana blade sticking through Inoichi's side. That blade was pulled back out causing the man to stagger to his knees, taking Kakashi down with him.

A dark chuckle surrounded them as the last of the smoke and steam dissipated to reveal Madara looming over them holding the blade that was now stained with Inoichi's blood. "You and your family have chosen the wrong side of a battle for the last time, Yamanaka. Now get out of my way or die alongside Hatake."

Kakashi tried desperately to push his blinding headache to the side so he could focus on this latest twist, but the pain was making it impossible. He watched helplessly as Madara lifted the katana up for what would undoubtedly be a killing strike.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

The Mystical Powers of Flowers and Ramen

Inoichi glanced down at where the blade had been pushed through him and managed a small chuckle. He should have known better than to think he would be able to fool Madara Uchiha. After all, bastard had found a way to cheat death for generations...why wouldn't the man be able to detect him within one of his trapped minds? Inoichi grimaced at the pain that coursed through his body...trying to remind himself that time was of the essence. He clutched on hand to his wound and tried to think of a way out of this mess, as he felt his blood seep between his fingertips. Was he going to play a part in Madara killing Sakumo-sensei's only child? Was this really how he was going to pay back his Sensei?

Kakashi's single word pulled him out of his musings.

"_Move_!"

Inoichi knew better than to doubt the younger man's directions...having worked with the Copy-ninja in the past. He threw himself to the ground and rolled to the side, blocking the excruciating pain his wound was causing out of his mind in the process. He felt the wind of Madara's katana as it slid through the space his body had occupied a moment before. That was too close.

He shifted his attention to where Kakashi was now standing face to face with Madara. The deadly arc of the Uchiha's blade had been stopped between Kakashi's palms, and he could see the sweat forming on the younger jonin's brow from the exertion. Inoichi was amazed at how Kakashi could possibly find enough energy to move, let alone hold back Madara's advance. But the younger man was doing just that...and by the look on the Uchiha's face, it was not being taken well.

Madara's voice cut through the tense moment. "What is it about you Hatake that makes you think you have the right to save everyone?"

Kakashi's gaze remained fixed on the blade pressed between his palms as he answered...refusing to let it budge. "Mah...I doubt Inoichi minds all that much."

Madara hissed out his reply while trying to wrest the blade free. "Your misplaced loyalties have always been the failing of your clan."

Inoichi cringed when the Uchiha violently twisted the katana until the razor-sharp edges of the blade dug into Kakashi's palms, sending a steady flow of blood toward the floor. Still...the younger jonin held on...keeping Madara's focus on the Copy-ninja, and allowing Inoichi to take a closer look at the mindscape around him.

There had to be a way to break himself and Kakashi free of this trap. He had already figured out that this was _not_ Madara's true essence they were dealing with. No – it was just a copy. But unlike the shadow clone jutsu in the material world, this mental copy bore nearly the same level of power that the original likely held. And that was more than most minds held on their best of days.

The wound in his side flared up and Inoichi recognized his time was running out. Madara's aim had been true with the blade after all. Although it didn't result in his immediate death, it did cause enough internal damage that he might yet die if he didn't free them of this reality soon so the injury could be tended to before it was too late. Inoichi scanned the mindscape once more, trying to find some flaw in the scene that might allow him the chance to unravel Madara's perfect prison.

His lips pulled into a thin smile when he finally found what he was looking for. In one corner of this farce of a hospital room stood a small bedside table, and on that table sat a vase filled with a bouquet of orange, blue, black, and pink wildflowers. Not a single one of these flowers existed in the tangible world – a fact that he knew all too well after owning and running the Yamanaka Flower Shop for as long as he had. He smiled to himself when he remembered how Sakumo-sensei had always said his passion for flowers would likely save him one of these days. Knowing firsthand that Madara would never have deliberately created such a whimsical touch while planning this prison, it became obvious to Inoichi that this had to be the handiwork of the Copy-ninja's mind.

Of course, leave it to Kakashi to find a way to place a piece of himself in plain sight while keeping it from being obvious to Madara. Inoichi picked out the importance of the colors immediately...each bloom stood for one of the Copy-ninja's teammates from both Team Seven and Team Kakashi. How appropriate that the strength of those memories would provide Inoichi with the means to rescue them.

He stilled his mind and stretched his chakra toward the brightly colored flowers, allowing his essence to merge with what was undeniably Kakashi's true self. Inoichi fed a thin trickle into the bouquet, being careful not to draw the attention of Madara in the process. He felt a sheen of sweat cover his own brow even as the wound in his side flared up once more, and he knew he was running out of time. Still, his mind also accepted that if he should move too swiftly, all would be lost.

Feeding his energy through the blooms and down the stems, Inoichi found what he knew would be there...a small crack in the bottom of the vase which served as the access point to the rest of Kakashi's mind. Smiling to himself, he continued to coax his chakra through that crack until he was able to find a firm connection to the core of the Copy-ninja's mind. Once that connection was made, he reversed the process and started to pull Kakashi's true essence back with him into the false reality Madara had caught them in.

Once the flow of energy could sustain itself without his aide, Inoichi returned his attention to where Kakashi and Madara were still facing off. Or, more appropriately, where Madara was moments away from sliding his reclaimed katana into Kakashi's neck. Inoichi cursed to himself. Was he too slow? Had he failed Sakumo-sensei after all? But then Kakashi's gaze caught his, and the glimmer in the younger jonin's visible eye let Inoichi know he'd been just in time. He allowed himself a smile of victory when the sound of a thousand birds chirping filled the air.

-- --

* * *

Iruka Umino walked down the hallway of the hospital hoping that what he'd overheard during his shift in the mission room was true...Kakashi Hatake was on the road to a full recovery. He knew this news would definitely brighten the day of one particular blond-haired menace...almost as much as the take-out ramen he's brought him for lunch. Although not as badly injured as Kakashi was after their adventure, Naruto was still required to stay in the hospital until the Hokage could finish running all her tests. And, of course, with most of her time currently being spent on fixing the Copy-ninja, that meant Naruto had to wait.

When it became obvious after the first few days that Naruto's tests had taken a back burner compared to Kakashi's injuries, Iruka made sure to set up a schedule with all of Naruto's friends so that the young man was never left alone for any longer than an hour. If nothing else, it would keep him from getting into trouble with the nurses on the floor he'd been placed. Thankfully getting people to visit Naruto turned out to be far easier than he expected. In fact, there we so many volunteers that Iruka barely got to see the boy at all in the past week!

Iruka turned down the corridor that led to Naruto's room with a smile on his face. He still found it hard to believe that this was the same lonely boy who'd sat apart from everyone else on that first day at the Academy. The sound of laughter coming from Naruto's room made the smile grow wider as he tried to remember who was scheduled to be here today. He stepped into the room and couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of Shikamaru staring at a Shogi board and scratching at his head while Naruto was leaning back in the bed and laughing so hard he had tears in his eyes. Iruka tried to control himself long enough to speak.

"Naruto...it's not polite to laugh at Shikamaru like that."

This only managed to make the boy laugh even harder until he was actually gasping in his attempts to take in a full breath. Iruka sighed and turned his attention to where Shikamaru was still staring at the game board – perplexed. He didn't know a lot about the strategies behind Shogi, but even Iruka could see Shikamaru had lost this game...to _Naruto_! No wonder the genius looked so utterly shocked. It wasn't every day that Shikamaru Nara was beaten by anyone...let alone Naruto_!_

Iruka turned his eyes back to the board so he could soak in the monumental moment in history when he noticed something a bit odd. Even if Shikamaru was having his worst game ever, Iruka found it hard to believe that Naruto would have close to twice the pieces left on the board when compared to the genius. Iruka crossed his arms and turned to glare back at the young man sitting on the bed.

"Naruto Uzimaki how could you?"

The grin plastered to Naruto's face slipped when he obviously recognized the use of Iruka's patented Sensei-voice. And it hadn't been just the run of the mill version either. Nope – it was the version that Iruka only used when someone truly disappointed him. Naruto at least had the sense to look guilty, so instead of staying too angry at him, Iruka chose to sigh and shake his head until the young man finally owned up to his prank.

"Ah, geez Iruka-sensei...it's only a game. And he's supposed to be a _genius_ isn't he? I thought for sure he'd notice a few extra pieces on the board by now."

That seemed to break Shikamaru free of his daze. "_Extra pieces!_ You have got to be kidding!"

Iruka held back the urge to laugh at the young chunin's reaction, and kept his attention firmly fixed on the squirming form on the bed. "Well, Naruto?"

"Come on...he didn't even notice I had twice the number of rooks allowed. You shouldn't be glaring at me...you should be glaring at _him_ for falling for such an obvious trick!"

When Iruka turned to see what Shikamaru's reaction would be, he was surprised to see a lopsided smile on the young man's lips. "He's right, Iruka-sensei. I _should_ have noticed something so lame."

"Hey – I'm still in the room you lazy bum!"

Iruka didn't hold in the chuckle this time. "Take it easy Naruto. So, Shikamaru, what had you so distracted, hmm?"

The loud exhale made it very clear to Iruka that he'd guessed correctly on just why Naruto's trick had worked. "It's a bit troublesome, but I keep feeling like I need to check up on Kakashi. But I didn't want to leave Naruto alone either."

"Well, I can understand that." Iruka smiled fondly at the chunin and held up the bag from Ichiraku Ramen. "How about we all go check up on him after we have dinner?"

"Ramen! Now you're talking, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto nearly tackled him to get at the bag.

Iruka laughed lightly. "Take it easy, Naruto. There's plenty for all of us."

Naruto had already started pulling the food out of the bag and spread it out on the nearby bedside table. He frowned at them. "But he doesn't even like ramen."

Shikamaru stepped over to the table and grabbed one of the takeout boxes before Naruto could flinch. "What makes you think that? I love ramen."

Naruto glared daggers at his friend. "Then how come I've never seen you eat the stuff before?"

Shikamaru shrugged while sucking down his first mouthful of noodles. "That's only because you never notice _anything_ while you eat ramen, Naruto."

Iruka figured he'd better step in before this escalated too far. "Okay boys, let's just enjoy the meal so we can go check on Kakashi. I heard a rumor that he's feeling better today, so I figured he might enjoy a visit from us. What do you think?"

When he looked up from his own container of ramen he was shocked to see _both_ boys digging in at a frightening speed. He smiled at them and then tucked back into his own meal. After all, it wouldn't be any good for his reputation if he couldn't keep up with them when it came to eating ramen!

-- --

* * *

Shikamaru walked down the hall between Iruka-sensei and Naruto. His hands were shoved in his pockets, and he forced himself into his normal slouch in an attempt to keep either of his companions from guessing just how anxious he was about seeing Kakashi. He'd been meaning to visit the jonin ever since they'd returned to Konoha, but with all the main players from the mission incapacitated, Shikamaru had been pressed into service to make certain the preliminary mission reports were filed timely. It had taken him the better part of that first week to get everyone's input before he could finally finish the task, and then he'd been added to the rotating schedule as one of Naruto's distractions.

In truth, Shikamaru was more than a bit nervous to be face to face with the Copy-ninja. He didn't understand the apprehension himself, but he had felt something similar after the battle where Asuma-sensei had given up his life. It was a feeling of complete and utter helplessness, and he didn't enjoy it at all.

"Shikamaru, are you feeling okay?" Iruka-sensei's concerned voice brought him out of his musings.

He shrugged and placed one of his hands against the back of his neck. "I guess I'm still reeling from Naruto's win."

Iruka chuckled and Shikamaru relaxed a touch. Until, that is, he heard a scream echo through the hall. His eyes went wide and his heart raced with the realization that is had come from Kakashi. A quick glance to his left and right showed him the others were equally affected, and he wasted no more time breaking into a run until he reached his goal: Kakashi Hatake's room.

He blinked in confusion when he entered into a room that was jam-packed with all types of shinobi. In fact, Shikamaru couldn't even see a glimpse of Kakashi at first, but as first one, then another of the medic-ninja stepped back, he caught a sight of the Copy-ninja thrashing about on the bed under the hands of a half dozen members of the Yamanaka clan.

His heart was still racing while he forced his legs to carry him closer. Shikamaru frowned when he saw one of the other medics starting to reach for a syringe full of sedatives. He knew that anytime the Yamanaka were involved, the last thing they ever wanted was the introduction of mind-numbing drugs. He sighed and made the only move that was feasible.

Making the hand signs that were so familiar he barely thought about the mechanics of them any longer, Shikamaru sent his chakra into the shadows of the room and used them to still the Copy-ninja's body until all those gathered around him had a better chance to do their jobs. It was while he stood there in his almost meditative state that Shikamaru took a closer look at the jonin. Part of him was thrilled to see the man moving at all...considering he had been close to fully paralyzed at the end of their last mission. But a larger part was frightened as he saw wounds appearing on the man's pale skin even though no one was touching him.

He felt Kakashi's body tense once more and Shikamaru cringed when the man's palms slit open with heavily bleeding gashes. Before he could do more than register that thought, Ino and Sakura pushed their way to the man's side and pressed wads of gauze into Kakashi's palms in an attempt to stem the flow of blood. Shikamaru's attention moved to the head of the bed, where he saw Ino's dad leaning over Kakashi's head. A stain of blood was spreading across the front of the man's tunic and his face was screwed up in pain. Through all of this, however, Inoichi Yamanaka's concentration on his task remained solid.

A gasp from Ino drew Shikamaru's gaze back to where the kunoichi was tending to Kakashi's hand only to find the flesh on that hand was showing the signs of second and third degree burns. A moment later, and both Ino's dad and Kakashi snapped their eyes open and released long breaths.

Sensing the initial crisis had passed, Shikamaru released his jutsu and stepped back to the doorway where Naruto and Iruka were still both staring, slack-jawed, at the chaos. Ino left Kakashi's side and moved to where her dad had staggered away from the bed. She instantly helped Shizune work on what was now seen as a puncture wound through his side. Meanwhile, the Hokage and Sakura were feverishly attempted to stem the flow of blood from over a half dozen deep slashes and cuts covering Kakashi's body. Still other medics were already starting the process of treating the heavy burns on the Copy-ninja's hand.

Shikamaru sighed in relief when Kakashi's eyes locked with his. They were obviously filled with pain, but he saw no signs that the Copy-ninja's sharp intelligence had disappeared during his ordeal. This thought was confirmed when the man pushed words through a throat that was obviously raw from his previous screams.

"If I'd known it was a party I would have put on some pants."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes while inwardly his heart was rejoicing. Konoha's famous Copy-ninja was still among the living.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

The True Power of the Sharingan

Tsunade tried her hardest not to wring Kakashi's neck as he stood in front of the desk she used when she worked at the Hospital. Honestly, she couldn't figure out how the heck he could even be awake at this point, let alone standing and challenging her decision on what to do with the Uchiha.

"I hear what you're saying, Kakashi...really, I do. But you need to understand that it's my job to look after the best interests of Konoha."

Kakashi glowered at her. "Isn't Obito a _part_ of Konoha?"

Tsunade ran a hand across her forehead in a vain attempt to push back the migraine she felt coming. "Kakashi, Obito Uchiha stopped being a member of Konoha the day he chose to join forces with Madara."

She could see Kakashi's disapproval in the way his single visible eye narrowed at her and she sighed wearily. "Listen, Brat...I know you want to believe the boy you knew is still somewhere inside that twisted man we have in custody, but trust me on this one...no one comes away from Madara Uchiha without fatal damage. He's a lost cause."

She saw the jonin cringe at her harsh words and wanted nothing more than to take her words back...to pull the man into a gentle embrace and wipe away the harsh reality of his life up to this point. But she couldn't...any more than she could bring Jiraiya back and profess her undying love for the perverted idiot. She was about to try and explain again when Kakashi raised the hand that wasn't still wrapped in bandages and rubbed at the back of his neck.

"If you had no intention of trying to help him...why did you have him brought back to Konoha in the first place?"

Tsunade sighed. "Because, Brat...up until the moment you told me about Madara...I was holding out hope that Obito had returned too."

She could have sworn she saw a flash of emotion cross Kakashi's face, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. He narrowed his gaze at her. "What will you do with him?"

Tsunade furrowed her brow at the jonin. "That is nothing that you should be concerned with Kakashi."

She watched his shoulders tense...saw the muscles of his jaw clench beneath the material of his mask...and then saw something dangerous flash through his dark gray eye. "I see."

Tsunade had expected more from him. She'd expected quiet arguments...or at least a logical discussion. Instead, all she got were those two words. Now she watched him turn on his heel and move to exit her office.

"Kakashi..." Tsunade called out to him, but he showed no sign of hearing her and just continued out the door and into the hall. "Dammit!"

Tsunade motioned to the shadows in the corner of the office and the ANBU guard hidden there stepped into her line of sight. The mask on this man belonged to one of her best ANBU...it belonged to the only man she could trust to carry out her orders without question.

"Follow the Brat and keep him from doing anything stupid."

The ANBU bowed silently and then sank into the floor. If nothing else, at least now Tsunade could be assured that she wouldn't have to tie Kakashi to his bed...again.

-- --

* * *

Within Obito's mind, Madara was reviewing the experience with the Hatake brat over and over to try and identify exactly where it went wrong. It hadn't been with the introduction of Inoichi Yamanaka...no...he had planned for that. He brought the scene to life within the recesses of his host's mind and moved around it...trying to see what exactly had been the turning point.

Obito moved to his side and crossed his arms. "You can't possibly still be dissecting that scene, can you?"

He spun on the younger Uchiha and snarled. "Why ask the obvious, fool? Unless you've got something useful to add...go away!"

"Fine...but I figured by now you would have noticed the flowers in the corner." Obito started to move away when Madara grabbed his arm and pulled him in close.

"Explain yourself!"

Obito rolled his eyes. "You aren't exactly the type to add something so...unnecessary. So where'd the flowers come from?"

Madara glanced to where Obito was talking about...and sure enough there was a vase full of obviously imagined flowers. He growled. "Damn that brat! He's worse than his father was."

Obito sighed. "I told you that Kakashi Hatake was a genius even before you started this plan. Didn't you believe me?"

Madara banished the vision of his failure with the wave of a hand and spun back to face Obito. "I had assumed you exaggerated. I will not make that mistake again."

"You don't honestly think they're going to fall for that trick again, do you?"

Madara smiled cruelly. "Of course not...at least not without a distraction of some sort."

Obito frowned at him. "Why do I get the feeling that I'm not going to like what you're thinking about doing?"

Madara laughed. "Perhaps you are not quite as simple-minded as I thought, Obito."

From one moment to the next, Madara appeared directly behind Obito's mental presence and wrapped his hands around the younger man's throat and slowly began to choke the life out of him – knowing that Obito's physical body would soon show signs of his distress. And once that happened, Madara knew that the soft-hearted people of Konoha would not be able to keep themselves from trying to save Obito's sorry excuse for a life...which in turn would open up any number of people for him to use for his final assault on Kakashi Hatake.

-- --

* * *

Kakashi shoved his hands deeper into the pockets of his hospital robe and shuffled down the corridor for the fortieth time since his face-off with the Hokage. From the moment he'd left that office, he sensed someone was watching him...and he didn't mean any of the nurses or medics...he was used to them spying on him like a rabid pack of undersexed teenagers. No...this was far more subtle, and he knew it would continue for the duration of his imprisonment in this sterile hell-hole.

Sighing in frustration, Kakashi tipped his head to the side and spoke into the hall. "I know you're there...so stop shadowing me and walk beside me already."

Within two steps, Kakashi noticed a masked ANBU materialize at his elbow. Not a word was spoken by the man as they continued their journey back and forth through the hospital hallways. Twenty more circuits and, at last, the man next to Kakashi lost his patience.

"Senpai...you should be resting."

Kakashi shrugged. "And you should be guarding the Hokage, Mouse. What's your point?"

Mouse sighed. "She's worried about you."

"I don't need her to worry about me...I need her to worry about Obito."

Mouse placed a hand on Kakashi's shoulder. "Senpai, you can't honestly think that man is your friend anymore."

Kakashi tensed under Mouse's touch and spun toward him...not caring that the entire staff felt the brunt of his anger surging off him in waves. "So we should just all give up on him?!? Just because _we_ never went back for him?!? Just because Madara found him first and changed him?!?"

Mouse showed no outward reaction to Kakashi's rant. "Senpai, that man is pure evil. The Hokage feels nothing good is left of the Obito you knew."

Kakashi snorted in derision at his one-time squad-mate. "Then I suppose it's a good thing Tsunade wasn't Hokage when we rescued _you_ from Orochimaru's lair...or I doubt we'd be having this conversation."

The sharp intake of breath behind Mouse's porcelain mask was all the warning Kakashi had that he'd likely gone too far, but at the moment he just didn't care. If the blunt truth was what it took to get through to the man, then dammit, that's what he'd use. He took advantage of the stunned pause from Mouse to turn on his heel and storm back toward his assigned room...confident that the ANBU would not immediately return to his post for at least a handful of seconds...and that would be all he'd need to create a clone and slip down into the lower levels of the hospital once more...assuming he could manage to utilize his chakra yet.

Luckily for him...part of the ordeal he'd just survived included having the chakra seal removed from him so the Yamanaka clan could more easily work their magic on him. And just as luckily, Tsunade hadn't thought to reestablish that seal once he'd been freed of Madara's jutsu. So now would be the real test.

Kakashi took a deep breath and reached inside himself for his store of chakra. After three tries he finally coaxed enough of it through his system to fuel the level jutsu he was about to perform. With quite a bit more concentration than he'd ever needed for it before, Kakashi formed a perfect lightning-clone and prepared to send it on its way with a subtle change in its physical form to make it appear to be just another one of the nameless medics that walked the halls of the hospital. Kakashi nodded once in satisfaction and then handed the clone a clipboard just as Mouse stepped through the door to see him dutifully climbing back into bed under the watchful eye of the 'medic'.

The ANBU walked to the bedside, oblivious as the 'medic' made a note on the clipboard, and walked out of the room. Kakashi smiled to himself at his success and shifted his attention to the man, who even now was obviously seething on the inside. He could tell by the subtle things – the tensed muscles along the man's neck...the way Mouse clenched his right hand into a fist...the fact his dark eyes were staring at Kakashi with an intensity that was almost enough to make him regret his choice of words...almost.

"Kakashi..."

His eyebrows rose at that...he must have truly pissed the man off for him to stop referring to him as senpai. So the kid gloves were off at last. "Yes, Tenzou...what do you want?"

The ANBU reached his left hand up and removed his mask. Dark eyes...nearly black looked to be glossy with unshed tears. "Why would you say that?"

Kakashi sighed. "Because it's the truth, Tenzou. You were fortunate that the Third Hokage was a much gentler soul than Tsunade is."

After several minutes of silence, Tenzou lowered his head slightly and whispered. "Do you think the _Third_ would have given up on Obito?"

"The Third never gave up on anyone. In the end, it was what made him stronger than most."

Tenzou sank into the chair next to Kakashi's bed and placed his forehead into his palms. "Then it is indeed unfortunate he is not here now...because we must abide by Lady Tsunade's orders in regards to Obito Uchiha."

"I suppose you're right. But you can't blame me for wanting it to be otherwise." Kakashi placed his arms behind his head and leaned back into his pillows.

"Why, Senpai?"

Kakashi glanced over at the younger man. "Why what, Tenzou?"

"Why does this Obito matter so much to you?"

Kakashi closed his eyes and sighed. "I wouldn't be the shinobi I am today if not for Obito Uchiha's sacrifice for me. How can I do less for him?"

He heard Tenzou stand back up. "So it is _his_ eye that you bear?"

Kakashi cracked his eye open and saw the mask being slipped back onto Mouse's face. "It is."

The ANBU moved toward the door. "Then you already have the best part of Obito to remember him by. Do not tarnish that memory by trying to force this false Obito to live up to the memory of the boy you knew. Too much has changed...for both of you."

Before Kakashi had a chance to respond, Mouse sank into the floor...likely to go report to the Hokage. Kakashi turned on his bed until he was facing the window...Tenzou's words replaying in his mind. He knew the man was right...that the Obito Uchiha he had known all those years ago died when the boulders slammed down on him...that the body downstairs was nothing more than a shell of what it had once been. In fact...he was so sure of it that he was sending his clone down to deal with his onetime friend himself. He owed the boy he'd once known that much...at the very least.

-- --

* * *

Obito couldn't believe Madara was so willing to toss him aside just for a chance to get even with Kakashi. Okay...so maybe he _could_ believe it. After all, that's all Madara had talked about from the moment he'd pulled Obito out from under the boulders in Earth Country. Still, it came as a bit of a shock when his life was starting to fade away in Madara's wild bid that the Konoha's guards were too soft-hearted to let him die.

Part of him hoped they were...because then Madara might choose to jump to that unfortunate fool and leave him alone. But a larger part wondered if he'd be able to function without the ever present Madara whispering in the recesses of his mind. Then there was the other possibility...what would happen if he died and no one came to save him? Would it kill Madara's essence as well...or did the elder Uchiha already have a fall-back plan in place should Obito _not_ be resuscitated after all?

All this, and more was racing through his mind...blocking out all other thoughts until he felt his chest nearly being crushed by a forceful blow against it. This was followed by a series of compressions, and it was with each painful press that Obito registered that the Konoha fools actually _were_ trying to save his life.

Obito knew the moment Madara abandoned him by the sudden raw, empty feeling within his mind. The concept of no longer sharing his thoughts with the elder man was so alien that it truly took him a few minutes to accept that every thought running round his mind at the moment truly was only his.

The compressions on his chest let up...and Obito was left gasping for air...finally free of the drug-induced slumber he'd been in since the destruction of the last Akatsuki headquarters. He blinked back against the harsh lights within the room and tried to focus on what was going on around him. He saw three guards and one medic turning toward the door on the far wall and for a brief moment Obito thought perhaps he _had_ died and this was an out of body experience...as none of those in the room seemed to be paying even the slightest bit of attention to him. Which was fine with him, as it was allowing him to try and find some way out of this mess.

Without Madara's influence inside of his mind, when Kakashi Hatake pushed his way into the room, instead of the intense wave of anger and hatred that he was expecting, he felt nothing but relief that his one-time teammate was still alive. That surprised him. After all, it had been the burning desire to hurt the silver-haired man that had helped carry him through all these years of recovery and training. But what did the absence of that intense hatred actually mean? Was it possible that he actually held no ill feelings for Kakashi? That he _didn't_ blame the man for everything he'd been told over the past fifteen-plus years of his life?

Was it possible that his entire life from the time he'd been pulled out of Earth Country to right now had been nothing but a lie?

Obito frowned. If there was one thing he couldn't stand, it was being unknowingly used...especially against someone he had once counted as a friend...okay...not for all that long, but still... Obito shifted his focus to where the medic was starting to walk toward the exit of the room and he _knew _what needed to be done. He wasn't able to move quite yet, but if he tried hard enough, he was fairly certain he'd be able to form words.

His first attempt barely created a harsh gurgle from his throat. He threw off his frustration and tried again.

"Stop...the medic...Kakashi!"

The pained words may not have sounded perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but at least they had their desired effect. Kakashi's attention shifted from the guards to the medic who was even now inching toward the exit. Obito couldn't help but be impressed by the speed with which Kakashi managed to disappear and then reappear directly in the path of the medic. And the instant surge of killing intent rolling off that man made it clear to everyone in the room that the medical ninja was no longer fully in control of his responses.

Still, Kakashi didn't do more than cause the man to stop...glaring down at the much shorter man. "Going somewhere, Medic?"

Again the killing intent flared...and the man lunged at Kakashi with a grace that was obviously not a normal movement for the stocky frame. Obito's breath caught in his throat when he saw the glint of a thin metal senbon arch toward Kakashi's thigh even as the Copy-ninja moved to spin out of reach. By now the two guards recognized something was definitely wrong with the situation, and while one of them moved back to where Obito was struggling to sit up, the other moved toward where Kakashi and Madara were already locked in battle.

Obito frowned when the well-muscled form of the ANBU guard blocked his view, and he tried to twist in his bed so he could see what was happening. The guard made quick work of pushing his barely responsive body back into the mattress and slipping his arms and legs into the restraints that had been removed while they'd been trying to resuscitate him. This made it nearly impossible to see much of anything going on in the room, and so he was now limited to just a few flashes of silver hair from the corner of his eye and the sound of the battle going on around him. Obito concentrated on those noises and tried to figure out who was winning.

The sound of a body hitting solidly against the wall was followed by a curse from the guard near his bed. That was all Obito needed to hear to know the second ANBU guard was now out of the picture. Soon, he was left alone as the remaining guard joined in the fight.

Eventually the fight moved over to the wall opposite the doorway, which allowed Obito to turn his head and actually see what was going on. The medic's body was riddled with cuts and bruises, and by the look of Kakashi and the remaining ANBU, Madara had been quick to acquire full control over his latest host's body. If fact...Madara was now wielding the fallen ANBU's katana with deadly skill, and it wasn't long before Obito saw him slip that long blade through the side of the remaining ANBU's armor.

Once Madara pulled his blade free, he kicked the injured man away with a well-placed foot, and then his concentration focused on the remaining enemy...Kakashi Hatake. Obito frowned when he saw how tired Kakashi looked. How could the man ever think he'd be a match for Madara Uchiha? But still, Kakashi didn't back down...rather, he moved closer still to Madara and decided to taunt the man.

"Funny...I thought you'd be taller. How the mighty have fallen, eh, Madara?"

Obito watched the new host growl and sneer at Kakashi...a look that seemed dreadfully out of place on the middle-aged man's plump face. From his angle on the bed, Obito had a clear view of that face so he was able to see the dull brown eyes flash momentarily with the crimson glow of the sharingan before fading back to their original color. Kakashi must have noticed as well.

"So the great and powerful Madara Uchiha forgot to take into account that he couldn't force the sharingan trait into underdeveloped eyes, hmm?"

Obito blinked in disbelief at Kakashi's boldness. And in that moment, he found himself remembering another time he'd heard a similar taunt from the silver-haired Hatake. It had been on that final team mission that had gone so horribly wrong. Where Kakashi had just saved him from one of the enemy and had ridiculed Obito for being a useless Uchiha. Normally that memory would have been enough to illicit anger or fury in Obito, but strangely, the only thing it did this time was bring on another memory from later on during that same mission.

That memory was of how Kakashi had risked his own life to save Obito...again...sacrificing his left eye in the process. And how the moment of awakening for Obito's sharingan had occurred moments later when Kakashi...his friend...was targeted by that very same enemy. How it took Obito's wanting to save something precious to him to bring the power of the Uchiha Legacy to life in him.

In a moment of clarity, Obito finally realized the biggest lie he'd ever been taught by Madara Uchiha. That man had told him that the only purpose of the sharingan was to deal out swift and painful vengeance on all those who have wronged their clan. But now...as Obito lay bound to his bed with only his own thoughts echoing within his mind...he _knew_ that the true power behind what the sharingan was meant to be, lay in _how_ it was activated. In Obito's case...that had not been in a moment of vengeance...no...it had been in a moment of pure self-sacrifice in the hopes of saving someone he viewed as important.

Obito blinked back against the tears that started to pool in his only eye. At that very moment, Kakashi was thrown by Madara until he landed half on the bed...his mismatched gaze locking with Obito's tear-filled orb. Kakashi's eyes curled into a half-smile and his voice was soft as he spoke.

"You can't possibly have dust in your eye again, can you Loser?"

Before Obito could respond, he watched Madara grab a handful of Kakashi's silver hair and use it to pull the jonin back into the fight. Obito's mind was racing. Did this mean Kakashi still thought of him as his teammate? Could it be that the man could find a way to forgive him for everything up to this point?

Obito moved his gaze to where Kakashi was now pinned against the wall by the man who had spent so long whispering such evil thoughts into his mind. The fact he'd been used burned through Obito's veins, fanning his inner fire just as the longing for the Clan Symbol had years ago. He couldn't...no..._wouldn't_ allow Madara to win like this. Obito struggled against his restraints, but he was still only partially recovered from the myriad of drugs that had been administered to him over the past weeks.

He returned his attention to the others just in time to see Kakashi smile slyly at him...while Madara's blade slid deep into the silver-haired man's stomach. Kakashi stretched his hands out until he had a tight grip on Madara's shoulders and then he stepped closer still to the elder Uchiha...driving the sword further into his body.

Obito wasn't sure what was going on until the edges of Kakashi's body started to dance with electricity. A moment later found Madara desperately trying to get out of Kakashi's grip.

"No! Not like this!" Madara's voice sounded small against the growing sound of electricity filling the room.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. "Exactly like this, Uchiha."

With that, Kakashi's body released an immense electrical charge that was so bright Obito had to squeeze his eye shut and turn his head away to avoid becoming blind. The room was filled with the crackle of the energy and the soul-piercing scream of the body caught within its grip. The smell of burnt flesh and hair assaulted Obito's senses making him gag, but he held back the bile and forced himself to look toward where his one-time friend had yet again sacrificed himself to save others.

The tears fell freshly down Obito's cheek, and he did nothing to hide the distress he felt at losing the friend he'd only just remembered having. A soft voice from the doorway made Obito think he'd finally lost what little he had left of his mind.

"How'd a crybaby like you ever get to be a shinobi, hmm?"

Obito's breath caught in his throat and he turned his head in the direction the quiet words came from. There...standing in the doorway with his hands shoved into the pockets of a hospital robe...stood Kakashi Hatake. With him were a handful of others...medics, ANBU, shinobi...but Obito only truly focused on that tall figure in shock.

"How? I saw him skewer you. I _watched_ you kill yourself and take him with you!"

Kakashi lifted one hand up to rub at the back of his neck while he gingerly walked over to the side of Obito's bed. "Guess maybe that eye of yours isn't so great after all, Obito. That was just a clone."

Obito shook his head fiercely. "No way! I've fought clones before...one good stab and they dissipate."

"Yeah...I've been working on that problem over the past decade or so. This was actually only the second time I've managed to make one last this long."

Obito glared at Kakashi. "But...you died! I _saw_ it!"

Kakashi shrugged. "I got better..."

Obito stared back in disbelief. "You got better?"

Kakashi chuckled and placed a hand on top of Obito's shoulder. "Yeah...I figured if a crybaby like you could do it, it must not be too hard."

After a moment of shock Kakashi's quiet chiding sank in. Obito turned his lips up into a smile...something he hadn't done in far too many years. "I always knew I'd lead you in something one of these days, Genius."

Kakashi smiled back. "It took you long enough."

Obito's smile faltered slightly. "Now what?"

Kakashi sighed. "Now we try to convince the Hokage that not all Uchiha are evil."

Obito groaned and closed his eye. "I'm doomed!"


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

The Medicinal Properties of Icha Icha

Kakashi was propped up in his hospital bed so that he had a clear view out of the only window in his room. That window was significantly smaller than his normal hospital accommodations held, but that was to be expected...considering he was in the secure wing. The diminutive size of the window was meant to lessen the risk of escape for those unfortunate enough to stay here. Of course, considering most of the residents of these rooms tended to also be secured to the beds, he thought it was a bit unnecessary.

Now, normally Kakashi would have no problem leaving such a room...but unfortunately, after his encounter with Madara in Obito's room, his barely recovered chakra had taken a nose-dive once more. In fact, by the time the Hokage had gotten to him, he'd collapsed onto the floor and was starting to experience severe chakra-shock. As a result, he'd been placed on strict bed-rest...under the watchful eyes of Ibiki Morino...thus the reason he was being held in this less-than-hospitable hospital room. And why, six weeks later, he was _still_ stuck in this place...bored out of his mind...without a single _Icha Icha _novel to pass the time.

Kakashi yawned and moved to stretch his arms above his head...until, that is, his body decided to remind him that he was still recovering from having the Akatsuki hideout fall on top of him. A groan of pain slipped out of his masked lips, and an instant later he was surrounded by three rather persistent medic-nin. Each one was poking or probing a different part of his body, and soon Kakashi went from being laid back against his pillow to threatening to separate the nearest medic-nin's head from their shoulders.

Ibiki's gruff voice brought a handful of startled gasps from Kakashi's torturers. "And how exactly would you like me to explain the decapitation of one of her favorite staff members to the Hokage, Kakashi?"

He turned toward the voice and growled. "I thought that Tsunade would be glad to hear I've regained more of my motor skills...was I wrong?"

A dark chuckle came from where the T&I specialist was leaning in the doorway. "Somehow I think that she'd be more impressed if you managed to let her medic-nin actually do their job in peace."

Kakashi crossed his arms in front of him, managing to hide the shot of pain the movement caused throughout his muscles. "Maybe...but where would the fun be in that, hmm?"

Ibiki stepped into the room and motioned toward the door with a jerk of his head. Instantly all the white-clad shinobi ran for the hall...one of them leaving the blood-pressure cuff still firmly fastened around Kakashi's upper arm. Ibiki walked over to Kakashi with his hands buried deep in the pockets of his trench-coat and a scowl gracing his scarred lips. Once there, he stared down at Kakashi for a solid minute without saying another word. Kakashi, for his part, met that gaze with his own half-lidded stare.

Eventually, Ibiki shook his head and reached toward Kakashi's arm to release the cuff and set it on the nearby bedside table. "Sometimes, Kakashi, I wonder how the hell you've survived this long."

Kakashi shrugged and curled his eyes up into a smile. "Easy...I try to avoid the Hospital at all costs."

Ibiki chuckled...or at least that's what Kakashi assumed that deep rumble was meant to be. "Well, Kid, until the Hokage gives you the all-clear you're stuck here with me and the medic-nin."

Kakashi rolled his eyes. "Great...as if my life wasn't messed up before."

"Are you saying you don't appreciate my company, Kakashi?" Ibiki frowned. "I'm hurt."

Kakashi turned his head and looked out the tiny window. "I'm saying I'm sick of being in this damn room, Ibiki." He sighed heavily and faced the man once more. "If I promise to behave, can you at least move me to a room with a view of something other than a brick wall?"

Ibiki ran his hand across the back of his neck. "Well, I suppose that could be arranged. I'll send the orderlies in to transfer you right away."

Now that surprised Kakashi. He had expected another round of lectures on how lucky he was to be alive at all. He blinked at the towering man before narrowing his eyes in disbelief. "What's the catch, Ibiki?"

Now an actual smile pulled the scars of Ibiki's face into something most people would have considered gruesome. "No catch, Kakashi. Just promise me you won't try to decapitate them when they come to transfer you, hmm?"

* * *

Obito rubbed the heel of his palm against the empty socket of his left eye. The memories stirred up in his latest session with the Yamanaka clan made him feel like the orb was still there, and at the moment it was itching so badly that he wanted to gouge the skin out with his fingers. He was so distracted that he failed to hear the door open, and it was only the sound of the wheels of a transport gurney that brought his awareness back. His muscles tensed. Were they taking him for another session today? Why hadn't they told him earlier?

Obito frowned. Did they find something in his memories that made them think he wasn't being truthful? He ground his palm against his eye-socket again trying to think of something that he might have had hidden within his mind...but he couldn't come up with a single thing.

"What's wrong, Obito? You get sand in your eyes again?"

The quiet chiding voice caused Obito's breath to catch in his throat. Was he imaging it? He lowered his hands to his lap and blinked his good eye open until he could clearly see that Kakashi was sitting atop the gurney that, even now, was being maneuvered into position next to the second bed in his room. Obito stared at his one-time teammate in shock.

Once Kakashi was settled into his bed, with various monitors and IV-drips placed on and around him, the orderlies quickly left the room...taking the now empty gurney with them. Obito, meanwhile, was trying to figure out just what the hell this was all about? He glanced over at the silver-haired man with suspicion in his gaze.

"What's going on, Kakashi?"

The man's eyes curled into matching crescents, and Obito had the sneaking suspicion he was being smiled at. "Ibiki has a sick sense of humor."

Now Obito was thoroughly confused. "What the hell does that mean?"

"Just that you aren't exactly what I had in mind when I asked for a room with a better view." Kakashi leaned back against his pillows and sighed. "Are they treating you okay, Obito?"

He chuckled at that. "I guess it depends on your definition of 'okay,' but they haven't caused any permanent damage yet...I think."

The heart rate monitor attached to Kakashi's chest gave away his former teammate's anxiety, even though the man stayed perfectly still. "They aren't hurting you, are they?"

Obito snorted and the question. "Which one of us is currently hooked up to more wires, hmm? Maybe I should be asking _you_ that question."

Kakashi sat up and swung his feet over the edge of the bed so that he was looking straight at Obito. "Dammit, Obito...be serious! What have they done to you?"

Being face to face with Kakashi allowed Obito a clear view of the long scar running from above the man's silver eyebrow, down the plane of his face, to disappear under the expanse of his mask. It was the first time he'd really had the opportunity to study the injury that permanently bound the two together. After all...normally Kakashi wore his headband over his eye. Obito sighed and averted his gaze to his folded hands.

"Kakashi...they aren't doing anything I don't deserve."

"Oh, please! That's the worst excuse you've _ever_ come up with."

Obito's gaze snapped up to where Kakashi was staring at him, but before he could respond, they both heard a quiet chuckle coming from the doorway. A voice that Obito couldn't place joined their conversation.

"You now, Kakashi-sensei, you aren't someone who should be making fun of other peoples' excuses. Yours aren't exactly all that great either!"

Obito blinked in shock as a smile curved across Kakashi's eyes and he seemed to relax. "Mah, Iruka-sensei, if you keep complimenting me like that I'll blush."

Obito turned toward where the visitor was walking across the room and watched as the dark-haired man was grinning ear to ear. He was wearing a standard issue chunin vest over the Konoha uniform, and he held a sack in his hand. His voice at once reminded Obito of sunshine and laughter, and he was amazed at how easily he found himself relaxing in the man's presence.

"Well, Kakashi, if that's all it takes to make you blush then I guess I didn't need to bring you this gift after all."

Kakashi's eyes shifted toward the sack in Iruka's hands and Obito nearly choked at the look of utter delight he observed in the Copy-ninja's face. "Iruka...is that...is that what I think it is?"

"What? Do you mean this, Kakashi?" The chunin casually sauntered between Kakashi and Obito's bed, swinging the bag teasingly in front of him.

With a speed that left both Iruka and Obito stunned, Kakashi managed to snag the bag out of the chunin's hand and had dumped its contents onto his bed. Now the man was caressing the bindings of the brightly covered books as though they were the most important things in his life. For his part, Iruka was chuckling genially and pushed the empty sack out of the way before taking a seat on the end of Kakashi's bed.

"So Kakashi, does that mean I found the right ones? After all...I could always exchange them for some _real_ literature if you'd like."

Kakashi chuckled..._actually chuckled!_ Obito was seriously starting to think he was still in one of the mindscapes from earlier...because there was no way this creature was Kakashi Hatake. No way whatsoever!

Iruka's voice snapped him out of it. "So...are you going to introduce me to your roommate, Kakashi?"

"Ah...yes...yes I am." The jonin offered a small smile up to Iruka and waved one hand toward where Obito was still staring at them in shock while he kept his attention firmly on the books in his lap. "Iruka Umino...this is Obito Uchiha. Obito, meet Iruka-sensei...tamer of pre-genin monsters, and evidently obtainer of out of print novels."

Obito blinked and tried to place what he hoped would pass for a smile on his face...but it had been so long since he'd made such an expression that he honestly had no clue if he got it right. He glanced over toward Kakashi for some hint on how to act around the chunin, but was greeted by the sight of the jonin's face being obscured by the bright orange cover of what he could now see was an adult novel. Obito sighed and returned his gaze to where Iruka was sitting patiently and bowed slightly from his position.

"It's an honor to meet a friend of Kakashi's, Iruka."

Iruka smiled easily back at him, not seeming to mind his severely scarred face in the least. "I could say the same to you, Obito, though I think I'm more of an acquaintance to him than a friend, actually."

A low lecherous chuckle came from the masked jonin and Obito felt a true smile stretch across his face. "Ah, Iruka...you brought the man a bag full of porn. Something tells me that definitely puts you firmly in the 'friend' category. Don't you agree Kakashi?"

The silver-haired jonin, upon hearing his name, lifted his head up to peer over the edge of the orange book and blinked at Iruka and Obito a few times...a light blush coloring the visible skin of his face. "Did you say something, Obito?"

Obito rolled his eyes while Iruka chuckled lightly before he reached into the pocket of his vest and pulling out the charred remnants of what might have once been another book in the series scattered across Kakashi's bed.

"I went back to your apartment to see if any of your original, signed copies survived...but this was the only one even close to salvageable."

Obito watched as Kakashi lowered the book in his hand to his lap before accepting the singed pages that Iruka offered him. A haunted look flickered over Kakashi's face as he held the remains of the book almost reverently in his palms. Obito could see the man's hands tremble slightly before he pulled the book close to his chest and looked back toward Iruka.

"This was the last book Jiraiya signed for me. Did you know that Naruto actually conned him into giving him this advanced copy for me when they finally returned from training?"

Obito blinked in confusion. "Jiraiya? Why would he have signed it?"

Kakashi turned to face him and breathed in deeply before responding. "He wrote them, Obito. And, according to his inscription here...I was his best fan and he expected great things from me."

Iruka gently lifted the book out of Kakashi's hands and, ever so carefully, opened the burnt cover to reveal the characters sprawled across the title-page before he hopped off the bed and brought it over to where Obito could better see it. "Actually, Kakashi is being modest, Obito. Lord Jiraiya's inscription said a lot more than that. Here...read it for yourself."

Obito frowned, but did as the chunin suggested. Sure enough, in crisp clean characters, there was a personalized message to Kakashi. But unlike the highly edited version Kakashi had shared with them, the actual message was far more detailed.

_To my number one fan...and my favorite brat..._

_Beyond having excellent taste in literature,_

_you have turned out to be everything your father and I_

_knew you'd be...and so much more._

_Perhaps some day you can forgive an old man for pinning his hopes_

_for the future of Konoha on you without asking..._

_Be strong...and know we're proud._

_Uncle Jiraiya_

Obito looked back up into Kakashi's face. "He was your..._Uncle?_"

Kakashi sighed. "He liked to think so. But I was never able to get a straight answer out of him or my Father about just how we were actually related. I tend to think it was an honorary thing between him and my parents."

Iruka took the book from Obito's grip and handed it back to Kakashi. "You know, Kakashi, I can think of worse things than having a Sannin for an Uncle...even if it was only an honorary title."

Kakashi made a small grunt as his response before carefully closing the book once more and settling into his lap. The dark edges of the scorched book left a faint trail of ash when it slid down the crisp white sheet, causing Obito to clear his throat to gain the man's attention. Once Kakashi met his eyes Obito took a deep breath.

"Kakashi...I'm sorry."

Kakashi, for his part, seemed absolutely confused. "Sorry? For what, Obito?"

"For starters, how about for burning down your apartment?"

Kakashi's eyes widened slightly. "Are you serious?"

Obito frowned. "Of course I'm serious!"

A chuckle escaped Kakashi's throat and Obito had to keep himself from lunging at the smug bastard sitting across from him. "What's so damn funny, Hatake? I'm _trying_ to apologize!"

"Obito...you weren't exactly yourself back then. I don't blame you for any of what that demented ass forced you to do."

Now Obito was speechless. Was this really the same Kakashi who used to take his joy...if you could call it that...from pointing out every one of Obito's faults? What could have possibly happened to change him so completely from the genius he'd found so annoying all those years ago?

Iruka stepped forward and placed one hand on Obito's shoulder. "You need to realize that Kakashi has been through quite a bit over the last seventeen years, Obito. He's likely to be quite different than the boy you remember."

A shiver ran up Obito's spine as he locked his gaze with the chunin's. "How could you know that I was wondering about that?"

"Relax, Obito." Kakashi's humor-filled voice carried over to him. "Iruka's not a mind-reader. He just has an innate ability to read people. I had always figured it's a side-effect of teaching those beady-eyed creatures every day at the Academy. You know...sort of a sixth-sense so he can keep the little monsters from killing him...or each other."

Obito watched as a fierce blush covered Iruka's tanned face, causing the scar over the bridge of his nose to stand out in stark contrast. He spun away from Obito to confront the jonin. "Kakashi-sensei! They are _children!_ Not 'beady-eyed creatures' and most _certainly_ not 'little monsters!' They are _children, _Kakashi! _CHILDREN! _I thought we'd had this discussion enough times by now...was I wrong!"

Kakashi waved off the chunin's outburst. "Mah...it sounds to me like you're trying to convince yourself more than me, Iruka."

Obito chuckled...causing the chunin to turn his anger toward him. "And just what are _you_ laughing at?"

Obito smirked at the man who was leveling a rather deadly glare at him. "Sorry Iruka...it's just that this is much closer to the Kakashi that I remember."

Iruka's dark eyes lost some of their anger as he pointing a thumb over his shoulder toward where Kakashi was watching them carefully. "So he's _always_ been this annoying?"

Obito nodded enthusiastically. "And then some!"

Kakashi growled at them. "Hey! You two do realize I'm still in the room, right?"

Obito watched Iruka turn toward the jonin and place one hand on his hip. "Yup...it's a little hard to miss you with all those wires and beeping."

Obito laughed out loud at the stunned expression on Kakashi's face, even as Iruka turned back toward him with a devious smirk on his lips. The chunin climbed up onto the end of Obito's bed, making sure his back was facing the jonin, and then the two of them proceeded to chat about all manner of topics for the better part of an hour...ignoring Kakashi outright. Another ten minutes went on before they finally allowed Kakashi to join in on their conversation.

The rest of the afternoon was spent with the three of them sharing stories, all the while Obito kept wondering when he'd wake up from this wonderful dream. But soon he realized it wasn't a dream...and he relaxed even more as he was filled in on the misadventures of teaching pre-genin. Once Kakashi joined in, he even found out that his friend was indeed a jonin-sensei now and, according to Iruka, famous for his ridiculous excuses for being late. When Iruka finally got off the bed and mentioned it was time to go, Obito found himself sad to see the younger man leave. But Iruka promised to visit again, and with that he left the two former teammates alone.

Obito let loose a large sigh before he leaned back against his pillow with his hands behind his head. His cheeks ached and it took him a moment to understand that it was because he hadn't smiled or laughed so much in the entirety of the past thirteen years. He turned his head until Kakashi came into view and smiled once more when he saw how relaxed the man was, even though he was still hooked up to so many monitors. He too was leaning back against his pillows...one arm behind his head while the other was skillfully holding his precious book up to read. A comfortable silence descended on them and Obito closed his eyes and allowed himself to truly relax for the first time since he'd returned to Konoha.

* * *

Kakashi finished reading Icha Icha Paradise and flipped the book closed with a contented sigh. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed his favorite pastime until now, and the feeling of utter satisfaction that accompanied finishing that first book was only intensified by the fact that he actually had the rest of the series spread out before him on his bed. His open eye scanned over the colorful covers and he smiled at how it looked like a small rainbow stretched across the crisp white sheet. A moment later though, and the smile turned to a frown once his thoughts shifted to the author of those literary wonders.

Konoha had lost a great man when Pein had managed to kill Jiraiya...and Kakashi hadn't truly allowed himself a moment to think upon that loss until now. He ran one pale hand over the brightly colored books and found himself thinking back to the many ways in which the older man had guided him over the years. Hell, one of his very first memories was of the mountain of a man playing with him in the garden behind the main house of the Hatake Compound.

Jiraiya had been infinitely patient with Kakashi back then...allowing his toddler-self to climb all over him in search of the little gifts he would always bring back for him after missions with his father. Usually it wasn't anything more than a small sweet, but to Kakashi it was the hunt, and the time spent with the man he thought of as his Uncle, that made it all worthwhile.

"Oi, Kakashi!" Obito's voice broke through his remembrance, causing him to turn toward where the dark-haired man was glaring at him.

"Did you say something, Obito?"

His roommate rolled his eyes before growing deadly serious and sighing. "Do you think he's really gone, Kakashi?"

Obito's voice held the edge of fear, and it was all Kakashi needed to hear to understand exactly who the man was referring to...Madara. He furrowed his brow and turned to face Obito completely. "If you mean from your mind...then yes, I do."

Obito frowned. "What makes you so sure?"

Kakashi shrugged. "It's simple, actually. If he wasn't out of your mind they never would have made us roomies."

He watched Obito's eye take on a hard edge. "Kakashi...do you think you actually killed him?"

Kakashi scratched at the back of his head. He'd known Obito would eventually ask this question, and he could only hope the man could handle the truth after all he'd been through. "Honestly? No...I don't think so."

He watched Obito's body tense with unhidden fear. "How can you be so sure?"

Kakashi sighed. "I highly doubt that someone with Madara's level of mind techniques wouldn't have had some type of failsafe in place to prevent his destruction when his borrowed body was endangered."

Both men remained silent for a bit before Kakashi tossed one of his precious books over at Obito. The man caught it with much more grace than Kakashi remembered Obito ever possessing, and he smiled at the knowledge that at least some of Madara's training had stayed behind even though he was no longer inhabiting the man's mind.

Obito stared at the book in his hand a moment before glancing back over toward Kakashi. "What's this for?"

Kakashi smiled and let a small laugh out of his mouth. "It's a book, idiot. You _read_ it." Obito glared and Kakashi rubbed at the back of his head before continuing. "I just figured you'd like a break from thinking about that bastard for awhile. I find the plot is really quite good at making me forget things...at least for awhile."

With that said, Kakashi leaned back to make himself more comfortable before reaching for the next volume of the series and opening it to page one. After a few moments more he noticed Obito settled himself back against his own pillows and opened his own book. Soon, the only sounds in the room were the mechanical beeps of the machines hooked to Kakashi's body, the soft whisper of pages being turned, and the occasional lustful chuckle from the two men occupying the beds.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The Literary Value of Icha Icha

Kakashi stood in front of the Memorial Stone with his hands in his pockets and he let loose a deep sigh. Six months had passed since he'd battled Madara, and he was only now allowed out of the confines of the Hospital. It was, by far, the longest he had ever willingly stayed in that place, and everyone knew that if Obito hadn't been there as well, Kakashi would have escaped the moment their backs were turned.

Kakashi smiled behind his mask at that thought and let his eyes roam over the familiar characters carved into the hard stone surface until he came across the first name that he always stopped at...Minato Namikaze. Next he sent his eyes a bit farther until he found Rin's name and finally he scanned a bit farther down the stone surface to find Obito's name. He took one hand out of his pocket and ran the tips of his fingers over the etching. The edges weren't as sharp or precise as the newer additions to the stone. Partially from the many years which had passed since they were carved, but also in part due to the fact that every time Kakashi came here early in the morning, he would run his fingers over the characters as though doing so would keep his connection to the Uchiha in tact – as if the eye he carried wasn't remembrance enough.

Over those many years, Kakashi had used that connection to talk about all manner of topics. He'd come to beg forgiveness when he'd failed to protect Rin...to try to explain why he'd joined the ANBU a week later...to share his grief when Minato-sensei sacrificed himself for the good of the village...to vent about how unfair the world was...to try and make sense of the countless ANBU assassination missions he'd been assigned...to rage against the unfairness of his forced retirement from that very same bloody organization...to mourn over more of his comrades' lives lost...to try and understand why he'd passed his first genin team after failing every single one before them...to share his despair when the Third Hokage's life was sacrificed in a way that was far too similar to Minato-sensei's death...and most recently, to admit his failures to keep Team Seven safe from the atrocities of the world.

Now...here he was, with so many conflicting emotions running around in his head, after nearly dying, and finding a way to save Obito...and he found himself actually unable to do more than stare at the stone and the names carved on its face. Thoughts and words that used to flow so easily when he'd considered this as his connection to the Uchiha now refused to come...as though the Memorial Stone _knew_ Obito now lived, and therefore refused to allow him to use it as a sounding board any longer.

Of course this made no sense, considering there were still more than enough other dead souls who he'd had contact with listed on the obelisk, but somehow when he tried to commune with any of those others he simply didn't know how to proceed. Perhaps he was feeling guilty for ignoring them all those other years while he'd used Obito as his focus for release. Or perhaps those on the stone were jealous of the fact they would not be found alive too.

Kakashi placed his hand back into his pocket and sighed at that thought. He couldn't help but wish Obito's return was only the first of many. Hell, he would gladly offer up his own life if it meant even one of those he'd failed to protect could be returned to life. He knew they would never have made any of the many mistakes he'd made over the years, and the weight of that fact caused his shoulders to sag. Kakashi lowered his head and closed his eyes as the memories of his failings threatened to suffocate him where he stood.

"Kakashi? Is that you?" Iruka's soft voice carried over to the Memorial Stone.

The concern he heard in the man's tone pulled Kakashi back from the brink of despair. He steadied his breath and placed his normal neutral expression onto his face before turning to face the chunin. "At last check, yes, Iruka-sensei, it is me."

A faint blush coated the younger man's cheeks and his hand moved to the back of his neck to nervously rub there. "I'm sorry, Kakashi. I didn't mean to interrupt you...but..."

Kakashi narrowed his gaze. "But?"

Iruka sighed and placed a look of determination on his face, which in turn made Kakashi guess his day was about to take a turn for the worse. "The Hokage has asked that I track you down and bring you back to her office."

Kakashi couldn't help but chuckle at the chunin. "And just how did the Hokage expect you to bring me back, hmm?"

Iruka frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. "I imagine she had figured you'd remember she's your boss, Kakashi."

Kakashi looked back over his shoulder toward the Memorial Stone and sighed. "Tell me this, Iruka-sensei. Do you think anyone would have missed me if I hadn't survived this mission?"

Kakashi heard the sharp intake of Iruka's breath, but when the silence stretched on for far longer than he'd expected, he turned back to face the Academy Sensei. There was a look on the younger man's face that Kakashi just couldn't seem to place. His normally warm brown eyes were rimmed in unshed tears and his lips were pulled tight as though he was trying hard not to speak.

Kakashi felt more than a bit uneasy amidst such a reaction. He ran one hand through the hair near his neck and tried to break the Sensei out of his strange mood. "You know Iruka-sensei, if I'd known you'd be struck speechless, I would have asked the question sooner."

The chunin blinked his eyes and seemed to come back to himself as he frowned at Kakashi. "Do you honestly think that no one would miss you, Kakashi?"

The man's question was so quiet that, at first, Kakashi thought perhaps he'd imagined it. But soon he saw the telltale blush of anger cross Iruka's cheeks and he knew the man was waiting for his reply. Kakashi shrugged and slipped his hands back into his pockets.

"It's crossed my mind."

"If that was true, Kakashi, do you really think Tsunade would have sent a recovery team for you?"

Kakashi sighed. "I bear Obito's sharingan...of course she'd send a recovery team. But that doesn't necessarily translate to my being missed."

Iruka's face switched to an even deeper shade of red. "Of all the stupid, ignorant, pig-headed..."

Kakashi smirked behind his mask as the chunin looked as though his head might explode at any moment. "Why Iruka, I never knew you cared."

That seemed to snap the dark-haired man from his tirade. Iruka let out a sharp breath and perched his hands on his hips. "Dammit, Kakashi, I really don't need this today. Just go to the Hokage's office already."

Kakashi curled his eye into his rendition of a smile. "Language, Sensei. You wouldn't want one of your impressionable monsters to hear you, now would you?"

Iruka frowned and narrowed his dark eyes at him. "If you don't move your ass now, Kakashi Hatake, my _students_ just might be able to pickup some pointers on how to castrate a jonin!"

Kakashi's eye went wide from that comment and he promptly pulled his hands out of his pockets and held them up between them in the sign of surrender. "You win, Sensei. Lead on."

"Oh no, Kakashi, I know you all too well..._you_ lead. Even though you probably still don't have enough chakra yet to use a jutsu to slip away, I figure that ten steps into the trip you would probably take off again. _This_ way I can be sure you make it to the Hokage's office!"

"Mah, Iruka-sensei...you take all the fun out of it." Still, Kakashi figured he'd messed with the chunin long enough, and he obediently started to walk at a leisurely pace toward the noted destination.

Iruka caught up with him a moment later and walked at his side. "I swear, Kakashi, sometimes you remind me of my pre-genin."

Kakashi dipped his hand into his pouch and he pulled out one of the volumes of Icha Icha that Iruka had gifted him with in the hospital. He opened the book before turning his head to face Iruka.

"So, Sensei, does that mean you provide porn to your pre-genin too? And here I thought I was special."

On cue, the chunin's cheeks flared red, and the man avoided looking at Kakashi. Of course that just meant Kakashi would need to use a different tactic to keep the chunin talking...thus keeping his own mind off of his troubling thoughts. "So, Iruka, did the Hokage say exactly why she needed to see me?"

Iruka glanced his way and frowned. "Does she ever?"

Kakashi chuckled. "Good point."

They continued on in relative silence. Iruka was greeted by everyone they happened to pass by, while Kakashi buried his nose in Icha Icha Violence, to avoid such contact altogether. Somehow, the jonin felt his choice of volume seemed fitting after everything he'd just been through.

While they continued to walk, Kakashi's mind wandered back to Jiraiya. Would the Toad Sage have been satisfied with how the plan turned out? Or would he have seen it as a failure due to the fact Kakashi hadn't managed to kill off all of the Akatsuki? And, of course, Kakashi knew the Sannin wouldn't have been pleased that the Kyuubi was still residing in Naruto Uzimaki.

"Kakashi?"

Iruka's voice stirred Kakashi out of his dark thoughts and he glanced over toward the chunin. He was surprised by the look of sincere concern on the man's tanned face, but met his gaze with an eye-smile all the same.

The chunin scratched at the scar that stretched across his nose. "Kakashi, what are you thinking so hard about?"

"I'm not thinking, Sensei." Kakashi waved his book in front of that scarred nose. "I'm reading."

Iruka's eyes narrows a little at that. "I see. So does it _always_ take you twenty minutes to read a page?"

Kakashi frowned behind his mask at the thought that he'd been that oblivious, but kept his eye curled up in a smile. "I was simply savoring the scene, Sensei."

Kakashi noticed a blush coloring Iruka's cheeks at his comment, and simply couldn't pass up the chance to abuse the chunin further. "If you'd like, _Sensei_, I could read the scene to you. Then you'd see why it's worth savoring."

Iruka's eyes went wide and his cheeks flushed a darker shade of red. "N-no thank you, Kakashi. Maybe some other time."

Now _that_ caused Kakashi's eyebrows to rise a bit. He chuckled while deliberately flipping to the next page. "I just may have to hold you to that one, Iruka."

Before the man could flush any darker, they arrived at the base of the Hokage Tower. Kakashi was all set to say farewell to the chunin when that very same man started up the stairs ahead of him. Kakashi sighed dramatically.

"You know, Iruka-sensei, even though I'm still recovering, I'm pretty sure I can remember the way to the Hokage's office. You really don't need to show me."

Iruka looked over his shoulder toward him and continued up the stairs. "I figured you did, Kakashi. But considering the Hokage asked for me too, I didn't think you'd mind the company."

Now Kakashi's curiosity was piqued. "Are you meeting with her before or after I am?"

Iruka rolled his eyes at him before facing forward again. "At the same time, Genius."

Kakashi remained silent the rest of the way up to the Hokage's office. His mind was busy running through every possible reason why he and Iruka Umino would be meeting with Tsunade at the same time. He wasn't late with any mission reports...hell, he hasn't even _been_ on any missions since his return...so that couldn't be it. And there wasn't a chance in hell that she would be assigning him to help at the Academy any time soon. Especially after the parents of the pre-genin threatened to remove their children from the Academy and defect from Konoha after Kakashi was a guest-speaker eight months ago. Who would have thought that teaching the brats how to rig traps to secure their homes would be taken so badly? After all, it wasn't _his_ fault the monsters failed to listen to all forty-two of the proper steps and managed to set half the market district on fire that very night. So there'd be no way he was being assigned back to the Academy any time soon.

Kakashi smirked. Perhaps Iruka had been seen by one of those very same angry parents when he'd gone out to purchase the very book he was reading, and Tsunade wanted to chastise him for sending the teacher on such an errand. Kakashi was looking forward to seeing the Hokage's face when she learned her innocent little chunin did it all on his own. A chuckle escaped his lips, causing Iruka to glance his way once more.

"Another memorable scene, Kakashi?"

Kakashi curled his eye up and matched it with a wicked grin behind his mask. "You could say that, _Sensei._"

Iruka sighed as he came to the landing which led to Tsunade's office. "Well, we've arrived...so you may as well put it away for now."

Kakashi chuckled again as he flipped the page expertly with the thumb of the hand holding the book. "Mah, why would I want to do that, Sensei? The hero is just about to..."

Iruka spun on his heels and clamped his hands over Kakashi's mouth. He could have easily stopped the chunin from succeeding at such a move, but Kakashi was just having too much fun to worry about it. The Academy Teacher's eyes narrowed to slits, and the next words out of his mouth sounded more like a growl than anything.

"Don't you _dare_ Kakashi Hatake! I don't want to hear another word about _that book's_ plot. Am I clear?"

Kakashi held back the urge to chuckle and docilely nodded his head in agreement. Only then did Iruka pull his hands away from Kakashi's masked lips. Kakashi made a show of snapping the book shut and putting it away into his pouch. He timed his reply to coincide with the moment the chunin stepped through the office's door.

"Mah, Iruka-sensei, don't worry. I wouldn't dream of spoiling the story for you. It'll make you enjoy it that much more when you read it later."

Kakashi saw Iruka's entire body tense, and he just _knew_ the chunin's face was very likely a shade of red that would rival the setting sun. He couldn't help but feel any chastisement he was about to receive was well worth it in the long run.

* * *

Tsunade knew she shouldn't have let the Brat out of the Hospital so quickly. But she also knew the telltale signs of the jonin beginning to plan his escape. If she hadn't allowed Kakashi to leave this morning when she did, she knew he would have disappeared without allowing the staff the chance to explain his physical restrictions, or provide him the medicine he'd need to take for at least the next year.

As it was, Kakashi had been rather vocal about not wanting to be stuck on any type of medicinal regime that might interfere with taking missions. And when he had been told that he was officially on medical leave until further notice, the only thing that had kept the Brat from throttling the Medic-nin who'd delivered the news was the fact that it had been his former student, Sakura.

Tsunade took a sip of the hot tea Shizune brought her and grimaced at it's bitter taste. Her aide chuckled at her before setting a thick folder down on the desk.

"I promise you can have your saké back right after this meeting. In fact, if it goes the way you figure it will go, I'll probably join you."

Tsunade smiled up at the dark-haired woman, and was about to make a suitably witty reply, when the door to the office opened. She focused her attention on the two men who walked in. Iruka's face was so red Tsunade would have sworn he was a boiled lobster. Meanwhile, Kakashi strolled in behind the man, with his hands in his pockets and looking completely at ease with the world.

But Tsunade knew, better than most, that the jonin was as far removed from that carefree attitude than he'd ever been in his life. After all, she had yet to be able to find a method to fully restore his chakra pathways, and his physical strength was only a third of where it had been prior to that damnable self-imposed mission. For anyone else, such staggering facts would have been enough for them to fall into a deep depression, but somehow, through all the bad news, Kakashi continued to maintain his normalcy...well, as normal as that brat could ever be.

She placed a firm look on her face and folded her hands in front of her. Tsunade leaned her elbows on the desk and glared at the two shinobi in front of her. "You're late! I'd expect this from you, Kakashi...but not from you, Iruka!"

Iruka sputtered at her words, unable to form a word, and Tsunade had to lift her hands up slightly to hide the grin that was threatening to creep onto her lips. Meanwhile, Kakashi took up his normal post, leaning against the wall between the Mission Room and the windows. The Copy-nin placed one hand against the back of his neck and Tsunade just _knew_ the brat was smirking while he answered her.

"What can I say, Hokage...Iruka-sensei and I were too engrossed in a literary discussion to notice what time it was."

Tsunade raised her eyebrows at that and shifted her gaze toward the chunin. "Iruka? Is that true?"

Iruka glared daggers at Kakashi and frowned. "I wouldn't call what we were discussing _literature_, but yes, I guess it was why we were delayed, Hokage. I apologize...for _both_ of us."

Tsunade grinned behind her hands once more before pulling herself together and leaning back in her chair. "Well, Iruka, you'll have plenty of time to discuss the literary values of your entire library in the near future."

Both men looked toward her – Iruka with confusion etched on his face, and Kakashi with a knowing glint in his eye. So Tsunade wasn't surprised when the Brat was the first to speak.

"What makes you think I'd be willing to do that?"

Iruka shook his head as though trying to understand what Kakashi was saying and failing miserably. "Willing to do what, Hokage?"

Tsunade allowed her grin to spread over her lips. "Willing to move in with you, of course, Iruka."

Iruka's mouth dropped open and he spent the next few moments imitating a fish out of water. Kakashi, however, had no such problem with speech. "I'll repeat my question, Hokage. What makes you think I'd be willing to do that?"

Tsunade glared at the Brat. "For starters, Hatake, it's an order! Second, Iruka will be training with Shizune to help monitor your progress and ensure you are actually _taking_ the meds the way you are supposed to."

Both Iruka and Kakashi groaned at that last bit, but before either could say a single word more, the sound of Tsunade's office door opening caught everyone's attention. Tsunade smiled once more, and motioned toward where two ANBU were escorting in the final person they were waiting for.

"But, Kakashi, I also figured you'd like to keep your _other_ roommate company."

All eyes in the room focused on the dark-haired man that was only now noticing he was the center of attention. Obito Uchiha made his way over to Tsunade's desk and gave a low bow. "Sorry I'm late, Lady Hokage, but a black cat crossed our path so we had to take the long way around."


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Ramen Theft and Other Crimes

Iruka looked around his apartment with a frown etched on his face. Everywhere he turned there was evidence of his house-guests. In the living room, stacked on his coffee table, sat the volumes of Icha Icha that he'd stupidly bought for Kakashi. In the kitchen on his counter, right next to his favorite teapot, sat a dozen prescription bottles that contained only one half of the medications needed to help rebuild the jonin's chakra system without sending him back into a catatonic state. Every corner of the kitchen floor was covered with food and water bowls for the eight nin-hounds that had taken up residence once Kakashi had managed to form his first usable chakra. While in the living room, there wasn't a horizontal surface that didn't have some random piece of dirty laundry sprawled across it.

Then there was his bathroom. The tub was in desperate need of a scrub down after Kakashi and Obito decided to give all eight of Kakashi's summons a bath. The sink had been transformed into a weapons cleaning station, with the basin filled to the brim with all types of deadly tools. Iruka's towels were no longer the bright blue they'd once been...no...now they were stained with things that should _never_ have found their way into his apartment.

He couldn't even find respite in his bedroom, as the two refugees had basically taken over that room as well. There were scrolls and books scattered all over the two futons and his own bed. His once clean walls now held drawings and detailed notes on everything from Kakashi's current ailment to Madara's mind jutsu. Each scroll or page on the wall was held in place by spare kunai or shuriken. And when the men ran out of parchment to write on, did they bother to ask Iruka for more? No, of course not! Instead they scrawled their notes out across his walls, using what Iruka hoped to hell was just red ink.

Now, to be fair, Iruka knew that this forced rest on Kakashi's part was likely driving the jonin insane. Well, more insane than usual. And he couldn't even start to imagine what Obito was going through, after being thought dead for so very long.

Iruka's gaze landed on another empty ramen cup and a low growl escaped his throat. If Obito kept eating his ramen supply at this speed, perhaps the rumors of the Uchiha's death would come true. After all, no one should _ever_ touch Iruka's personal supply of instant ramen!

An alarm clock set on the kitchen counter went off and pulled Iruka out of his murderous thoughts of boiling Obito in a vat of ramen broth. A small sigh left his lips as he carefully made his way into the kitchen, being mindful to avoid piles of clothes, books and sleeping dogs. Pausing just long enough to see which medications were due this time, Iruka gathered four of the bottles and quickly placed a total of seven pills into a small cup. Once that was done he opened the refrigerator and pulled out two numbered syringes. When he had the cup of pills, the syringes and a large glass of water set on a tray, Iruka reset the alarm for two hours from then, and glanced one more time at the laundry list of instructions the Hokage left for him before heading into what used to be his bedroom.

As he approached the room he could hear Obito's voice raised to a level that would challenge Naruto's volume any day of the week...which was never a good thing. Iruka stopped just outside the door and listened.

"What the hell, Kakashi? You think I give a shit about that after all this time?"

Iruka couldn't quite hear Kakashi's reply, but based on Obito's next outburst, it was evident the Copy-ninja's words weren't taken well.

"Take it back, you bastard! Take it back...or so help me...I'll..._I'll kill you!_"

Okay...so that caught Iruka's attention. Tsunade had made him swear that he'd keep the two men from taking things quite that far. And he actually feared her punishment for failure more than he feared entering a room with an arguing Hatake and Uchiha. He pushed the door open with the toes of his right foot and tried his best to distract the pair and keep the bloodshed to a minimum.

"Medication time, Kakashi!"

Iruka walked in and found Kakashi sprawled across the bed...not the futon assigned to the long-limbed moocher. No. Kakashi decided to make himself comfortable on _Iruka's_ bed. Meanwhile, Obito was lying on his back on his futon with his hands folded under his head. There was an ear-to-ear grin stretched across the Uchiha's face that looked so much like Naruto that, for a moment, he thought perhaps Obito was actually Minato Namikaze's secret love child. Neither man looked in mortal danger at all.

"Pay up, Obito." Kakashi's voice held the edge of amusement to it.

"Not fair! You've known him a lot longer than I have!"

A quiet chuckle came from Kakashi. "Then you shouldn't have made the bet."

Iruka narrowed his eyes at the two men lounging in his bedroom. "What bet would that be?"

Kakashi smiled with his eye and wave a hand through the air in dismissal. "Mah...it was nothing, Iruka-sensei."

Iruka frowned and was tempted to turn around and leave the two alone, but a glance down at the tray in his hands reminded him of his mission. He sighed and moved across the room to set his burden onto the bedside table.

"Honestly, Kakashi, I don't know what I did to piss off the Hokage to deserve being stuck with you two."

Obito chuckled this time. "Whatever it was, it must have been pretty bad."

Iruka threw a glare at where Obito was pushing himself into a seated position. "I didn't ask for your opinion, you know."

Obito stuck his tongue out and stretched his arms over his head before standing and walking toward the door. "Fine. I'll leave you two alone so you can poke Kakashi in peace. I was getting a little hungry anyhow."

Iruka growled under his breath until he heard the sound of a cupboard door opening. His face flushed in anger as he shouted toward the kitchen. "Stay away from my ramen or I'll make you wish you really _had_ died!"

The sound of chopsticks dropping to the counter made it clear the Uchiha had heard Iruka's threat and taken it to heart. A smug smile settled onto Iruka's lips as he turned back to where Kakashi was still lying on his bed. The silver-haired menace was watching him with quite an unsettling look in his one visible eye. Iruka frowned and perched his hands on his hips.

"What now?"

Kakashi shrugged his shoulders and sighed wistfully "Sorry. I was just fantasizing about you poking me."

Iruka didn't bother getting upset by this latest comment. After all, he'd been dealing with lude comments from both his guests ever since their first night. Instead, he decided that turnaround would be fair play. He placed a cheeky grin on his face and reached up to pull the tie out of his hair. He had to keep himself from laughing at the way Kakashi's eye widened when Iruka's hair fell loosely across his shoulders. He ran his tongue across his lips and spoke in a breathless tone.

"Would you _really_ let me poke you, Kakashi?"

Iruka would have sworn he'd seen the faintest tint of red poking along the edge of Kakashi's mask, and he had to admit he was having more fun with this than he'd expected. Especially when the Great Copy-ninja seemed to suddenly have trouble forming a complete sentence.

"I...umm...well, you see...I...umm." Kakashi finally seemed to realize Iruka had been joking with him, and he hung his head in defeat. "I deserved that, didn't I?"

Iruka snorted and pulled his hair back up into its traditional ponytail. He smiled and held up the first syringe, making a point to flick his finger against the side while enabling Kakashi to see just how long the needle was. "Yup. Now get ready, Kakashi, because this is the only 'poke' you're ever going to get from me."

Kakashi sighed and started to roll up his sleeve. "You know, Iruka, I'm starting to think that this was more of a punishment for me than you."

"You might just be right about that." He leaned in until he was almost nose to nose with his patient. "After all, this particular dose doesn't go in your arm."

Iruka's mouth pulled into a smirk as he stood back up and let his words sink in. Kakashi stared at him for a good minute before saying a word.

"You're still joking with me, right?"

"Nope. You can read the Hokage's orders yourself if you'd like." Kakashi looked like he was about to demand that very thing when Obito's voice called out from the kitchen.

"Hey, Iruka, wait until I get there before you stick the Genius in his ass!"

Kakashi groaned and quickly rolled onto his side, pulling the waist of his pants down to expose his backside at the same time. Iruka wanted nothing more than to make some comment about this, but when he heard Kakashi's plea he just couldn't do it.

"Just get it over with, Iruka. I'd rather not have to listen to Obito's comments about this for the rest of the night."

Iruka snickered and did as was requested. But when Kakashi hissed in pain from the injection, he couldn't help but laugh. Kakashi pulled his pants back up and glared at him.

"What the hell's so funny, Sensei?"

Iruka set the needle down before handing Kakashi the cup of pills and the water glass. He explained his reaction while the man dutifully downed the medication.

"I just find it surprising that an elite jonin would react like that to something as ordinary as a shot."

Kakashi rolled his eyes as he handed back the glass. "Sorry if I failed to meet your lofty expectations, Iruka."

Iruka chuckled and swapped out the empty glass for the remaining syringe. "Fortunately this one _does_ go in your arm, Kakashi. So you won't have to be proven human any more today."

Kakashi shook his head as he rolled up his sleeve. Iruka slid the needle into the man's muscle and pushed the plunger all the way down. As predicted, there was no hiss this time. He pulled the needle out and placed it on the tray just as a disappointed voice came from the doorway.

"That's not fair! I asked you to wait!"

Iruka turned around, all set to chide the man ,when his eyes settled on the Styrofoam cup in the Uchiha's hand. Anger welled within Iruka as his hands clenched at his side. He knew his face was likely the shade of a ripe tomato, and he cold feel the vein at his temple throbbing. His words, when they came, were laced with the promise of pain.

"I told you not to touch my ramen!"

Obito's eyes shifted from Iruka's face, down to the cup of noodles, then back up to Iruka. His voice showed his confusion. "I thought you were joking."

Kakashi's chuckle drew Obito's attention, while Iruka continued to focus only on the soon-to-be-hurt Uchiha. "Iruka-sensei _never_ jokes about ramen."

* * *

Kakashi watched as Iruka leaped toward the doorway, but Obito managed to escape just as his neck was about to be throttled. The two ran throughout the apartment, upending furniture and scattering dogs and dishes everywhere in the process. The entire time, Obito was swearing he'd never do it again, while Iruka threatened to sew his lips shut so he'd never have the chance of eating his ramen again. They were so involved in the chase that neither of them heard the knock on the door.

Kakashi sighed and pushed himself off the bed once it was clear the others weren't going to answer the door anytime soon. By now, the knocking had changed over to pounding, and he was relatively certain that whoever was waiting on the other side of the door would likely not understand the gravity of the theft of instant ramen. He walked gingerly, thanks to his latest humiliation, and rubbed one palm against the lower injection sight even as he opened the door to greet their visitors.

To his surprise, he was greeted by the distraught face of Shizune. He smiled down at the dark-haired aide to the Hokage and, instead of inviting her in, he stepped outside and pulled the door shut behind him.

"What a pleasure to see you again, Shizune. But what has happened that you look so down, hmm? Is Tsunade refusing to do her paperwork again?"

The petite jonin fought to keep a smile off her lips, making it clear to Kakashi she was definitely here on official business. This thought was reinforced when four ANBU materialized around them on the front stoop. The question of the hour, of course, was just who the ANBU were here for. When two of the ANBU stepped closer to him and placed a hand on his shoulders, he was fairly sure he now knew the answer. He narrowed his eyes at Shizune and waited for her to explain.

"I'm sorry, Kakashi. Lady Tsunade needs to speak with you immediately and, without your own chakra paths functioning properly, this is the quickest way for you to get to her office." She frowned at him and bit her lip. "I'll let the boys know where you are."

Without waiting for a response from him, Shizune simply nodded to the ANBU and a moment later Kakashi felt the familiar tug of a transportation jutsu. Once the world settled down around him again, he found he was standing directly in front of the Hokage's desk. A slight pressure on his shoulders guided him into the seat he was standing in front of, and when the hard wood of the chair made contact with his tender bottom he had to hold back a reaction. Showing his discomfort in front of Iruka and Obito was one thing, but he refused to do so in front of four ANBU and the Hokage.

Kakashi frowned. At the moment, the Hokage wasn't even in the room. Just what the hell was going on? Since when was he ever fetched in such a manner? Okay, so there was that one time when he'd mistakenly emptied out Tsunade's premium saké into the water cooler, but even then the ANBU had left after depositing him in the office. This time, all four ANBU were still present. Two still holding onto his shoulders, while the other two were positioned directly in front of him.

Kakashi was starting to get a bad feeling about what was going on, and that feeling didn't get any better when Tsunade stormed in from the direction of her private office. Directly behind her walked two of Konoha's Elders, and the moment their gaze fell on him their faces twisted into their smug version of a victory smile. For his part, Kakashi simply stared back at them with his usual look of boredom.

Tsunade slammed a thick folder down on the desk and waved for the two ANBU standing in front of Kakashi step aside. Once they did, Kakashi had a clear view of just how pissed off Konoha's leader was. The frown on her face made it clear Kakashi could very well be in serious trouble this time. He just wished to hell he'd actually done something to deserve it. But let's face it, he'd been trapped in the hospital, and now the chunin's apartment, for over four months. The worst thing he'd done was to scribble on Iruka's walls. And he doubted that would land him in this much trouble.

"Kakashi Hatake, do you know why you've been brought here?" Tsunade's words were clipped.

A million smart-ass answers popped into his head, but a single warning squeeze on his left shoulder from the ANBU was enough to let him know that now was _not_ a good time to mess with their leader. So Kakashi sighed and answered with a single word.

"No."

Tsunade blinked at him in apparent surprise. "No?"

"I didn't think I stuttered."

The ANBU at his right shoulder dug into his flesh a bit at his answer, but Kakashi was beyond caring at this point. He hadn't the vaguest clue what the hell was going on, and he hated not knowing.

Tsunade opened up the thick folder and flipped through a good portion of it before glancing back up at him. "Kakashi, when was the last time you saw your father?"

Kakashi growled low in his throat. "You know damned well when that was, Hokage."

She leaned forward and glared at him fiercely. "Just answer the question, Brat!"

He frowned and clenched his hands into fists. "Fine. It was the day I found him dead in our house."

He watched her frown deepen as she flipped through more pages. "And when was the last time you saw him alive?"

"What? Why the hell are you even _asking_ these questions? You were there, Tsunade. You and Minato-sensei took me to breakfast that morning...the morning of the Chunin Exam finals. You saw him shut the door behind me."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you _sure_ this was the last time you'd seen the man alive?"

Kakashi was starting to lose what little patience he had. "You know damned well that the Third Hokage _forbid him_ from coming within ten blocks of the arena that day. If he hadn't, then maybe my father wouldn't have felt the need to _kill himself._"

Elder Utatane took a step forward. "Watch your tongue, boy!"

Kakashi closed his eyes and tried to calm himself. His heart was pounding loud in his ears, and he could feel what little chakra he currently held in his body trying, unsuccessfully, to surge through his damaged pathways. He took a long, slow breath before daring to look back up at them.

"Forgive me, Elder Utatane. But my father has been dead for more than two decades. You can surely understand my confusion at being grilled about such things."

He watched the older woman's lips purse at his barely hidden insult, but before she had a chance to say anything, Tsunade stood up and walked around to the front of her desk. Once there, she leaned against it and crossed her arms in front of her. Tsunade's golden eyes locked with Kakashi's, and for a moment he truly didn't recognize her.

Even with all the crazy things he'd done over the years...entering only through the window, leaning against the wall when summoned, reading his Icha Icha when she was trying to talk to him...she'd _never_ looked at him with such a cold look in her eyes. It made him wonder if he was caught in some bizarre genjutsu. But, when Tsunade spoke again, he knew it was all too real.

"Kakashi Hatake. Evidence has been brought to our attention that shows your father, Sakumo Hatake, had dealings with Madara Uchiha up to, and including, the date of his death."

Kakashi moved to speak, but Tsunade raised one hand to silence him before she continued speaking.

"There is evidence that he had an accomplice within the walls of Konoha, and as of this moment, that evidence points toward you."

Kakashi's head was spinning, and he did nothing to hide the disbelief in his expression. Did he honestly just hear Tsunade accuse him of aiding and abetting the very man who so recently tried to kill him through the possessed body of his one-time teammate?

"This is ridiculous. I was only five at the time of my father's death."

This time Elder Homura spoke. "You were six. And a chunin. Do not pretend that you were a normal child, Hatake."

Kakashi scowled at the old man. "I turned six the day he died, and I barely spoke to my father those last four months of his life. Prior to that, my days were spent training, or on Village assigned missions. Just when was it that you think I would have found the time to plot against Konoha...even if I ever wanted to?"

Tsunade pushed herself off the desk and moved to stand directly in front of him. The two ANBU at his sides each pressed down on his shoulders, as though they already knew what the Hokage was about to say was not going to be taken well.

"Where Madara Uchiha is involved, _nothing_ can be taken for granted. Kakashi Hatake, you will be taken by ANBU to the T & I Secure Facility for interrogation. Any resistance on your part will be seen as an admission of guilt, and will be handled with lethal force. Am I clear?"

Kakashi shook his head slightly. "I'm not sure what the hell evidence you could possibly have that would make you go this route, Hokage, but I have nothing to hide. I won't resist."

Tsunade nodded once to the ANBU guards and stepped back as they hauled Kakashi to his feet. His mind was still trying to catch up with the turn of events as his arms were brought behind his back and secured with chakra-dampening cuffs. He frowned as a second set was placed around his ankles. Evidently, they didn't want to take any chances with him. Which was actually rather funny, considering he was still unable to maintain his chakra within his pathways for more than three minutes at a time. And his muscles and bones were only just healed enough to allow him to walk without the use of crutches.

Kakashi sighed. Sometimes it didn't pay to be famous. Tsunade made one sharp hand signal and Kakashi's ANBU guards disappeared from the room, taking him with them.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

The Art of Discovering Answers

Kakashi sat in the corner of his cell with his knees pulled up to his chest. The only light in the small space was whatever managed to slip passed the narrow bars set into the thick steel door, and it cast him in dappled shadows that never shifted, no matter what time of day it was. That, by itself, was enough to let him know he was being held in Konoha's most secure facility, deep underground. Which also meant that any chance of keeping an accurate track of the number of days he'd spent within this damp cell was nonexistent.

He'd been stripped of his Konoha uniform the moment he'd been brought to this place, and he now wore the standard issue gray striped outfit which not only marked his place as a prisoner, but also failed to provide warmth to push back the chill of the damp walls. Add to that the fact that his mask had been taken away, and his feet were bare, and Kakashi was truly miserable at the moment.

A shiver rocked his body, which in turn pulled a groan from his lips when his partially healed muscles protested the movement. This was definitely the worst part of this travesty...the fact that the carefully monitored doses of medications had been stopped altogether. And it hadn't taken long before any of the benefits he'd received from that regiment began to reverse themselves. His muscles were alternating between spasming and burning pain, and he was experiencing a constant source of agony as the pitiful amount of chakra that was remaining in his body continually ran into collapsed portions of his pathways with no way to circulate fully.

There was a thick metal patch affixed with Tsunade's chakra over Kakashi's sharingan eye. It pushed snugly against his eyelid in order to eliminate any chance of him using it against his keepers. Add to that the fact that every time he had finally managed to fall asleep, he was pulled back to consciousness by his ANBU guards, and forced into one of the numerous interrogation rooms that were dotted throughout the catacombs of the maximum security facility.

He'd lost track of just how many times he'd been grilled about things he had no recollection of, and so when he was once more dragged out of his cell, he was not surprised to find four members of the Yamanaka clan waiting for him in the hallway. After all, they were always there to provide assistance in the non-stop interrogations.

"This would go much easier if you would simply admit to what you've done, Copy-ninja."

Kakashi lifted his head up a bit farther and saw that the Elders were standing just behind the interrogation team. He glared in their general direction and pushed his words through his parched throat.

"Mah, you've caught me, Elder Utatane. I confess."

The old woman's eyes nearly sparkled in anticipation of his next words as she leaned forward. "Go on!"

Kakashi couldn't keep the disdain from his words. "Very well. I confess...that this is a colossal waste of time. I didn't do whatever the hell it is you think I've done."

He watched that sparkle in her eyes change to fierce anger, and while his ANBU keepers held him firmly within their grips, her bony fingers slapped against his unmasked face. The sound echoed dully throughout the hall, and Kakashi noted the hard glare from the woman was matched by her male counterpart and the group of Yamanaka men watching him.

Kakashi ran the tip of his tongue along his lips and tasted his own blood from where Elder Utatane's ring sliced into his skin. He let loose a weary sigh and closed his eye to his captors. "So what's it to be this time, hmm? A romp through my memories of my first steps?" He opened his eye and glared straight at the Elders. "Or perhaps my first kill? Is that more along the lines of what interests you all?"

He felt the grip on his arms tighten in warning, but in all honesty he was beyond caring if his comments were crossing some invisible line in the dirt. He sighed once more. "Just get it over with so that I can go back to pretending I'm somewhere other than Konoha."

One of the Yamanaka men stepped forward and grabbed Kakashi's chin, forcing his head back until he was forced to meet the man's dark eyes. "And where else would you choose to be, Hatake?"

Kakashi met the man's eyes steadily. "Perhaps somewhere that such treatment to a loyal citizen wouldn't be happening in the first place."

A frown settled across the man's face, and for a moment Kakashi thought that he saw doubt and regret showing in those dark eyes. But it all fell away the instant Elder Homura's words rang out. "That was quite the speech, boy. But you are forgetting one thing, aren't you?"

Kakashi turned his gaze toward where the older man was watching him. "And what might that be?"

"Your loyalties have yet to be proven to _our_ satisfaction."

Before Kakashi could say anything more, the ANBU guards dragged him down the hall to yet another interrogation room. This time though, he had to admit that his heart sped up more than a bit in something just this side of fear. He knew that on the other side of this particular entrance stood Ibiki Morino. And even though he had spent plenty a night drinking saké with the man at The Rusty Kunai, when that mountain of a man was ensconced within these walls he left all traces of humanity behind.

"Bring him here." Ibiki's deep voice left no room for argument, and the ANBU swiftly dragged Kakashi across the stone floor until he was eye to eye with the undisputed best T&I expert in the Five Great Countries.

Kakashi calmed his heart rate down and steadied his breathing before he allowed a small smile to tug at his lips. "Yo."

Ibiki had no reaction to the familiar greeting. Instead he stood there with his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his trench coat, and his eyes seemed to peer straight into the core of Kakashi's being. If the man saw anything there, he certainly didn't give anything away to Kakashi, or to those around him. Instead, Ibiki turned on his heel and walked over to where a single metal chair was bolted to the floor. There were dark stains marring the stone floor all around it, and in the back of his mind Kakashi knew the man had deliberately left those marks on the floor to put the fear of what might come into anyone unfortunate enough to be brought here. Yet, somehow, the knowledge that they were all part of Ibiki's mental game didn't seem to make them any less effective as he was forced into that very chair under that man's watchful eyes.

Kakashi knew that, whatever happened next, Ibiki wouldn't find any trace of disloyalty in him, even after everything they'd already put him through. But Kakashi also knew that Ibiki would be unbelievably thorough with him before coming to that judgment. So he would let this happen without fighting back. To do otherwise would simply make it more painful than it was sure to be.

His arms were pulled taut behind his back and placed into cuffs that were attached to the chair back. They were deliberately angled to keep the hands in an unnatural position, and were spaced far enough away from each other to keep any thoughts of forming hand signs far from a prisoner's mind. Next, his ankles were secured in a similarly uncomfortable fashion, and when he felt Ibiki's thick fingers bury themselves into his hair and yank his head backward, Kakashi tried his best to remind himself that there was nothing personal in what was happening within this room. Ibiki was simply doing his job.

* * *

Obito watched as Iruka stood in front of the kitchen sink with a sponge in one hand, absently scrubbing at the inside of the rice bowl held in his other hand. The sensei's gaze was unfocused as he stared out the window, and Obito was fairly certain that he knew why. After all, it had been over a week since Kakashi had gone missing, and just as long since they had both been confined to the apartment.

Every morning he and Iruka woke to a sharp knock on the front door, hoping that this time would be the time it all proved to be nothing more than a dream...a very _bad_ dream. But every morning they were met at that door by one of the handful of ANBU who had been assigned to guard them, and prevent them from leaving the residence. Those masked shinobi would hand him or Iruka a bag of fresh groceries before stepping back and pulling the door firmly shut once more.

Iruka would sigh and put the groceries away, planning out the day's meals based on just what was in the paper sack. It was never the same food twice, and at first Iruka had made a challenge of it to find the perfect meals to use up every bit of the food before the next morning came. But this morning's bag had left him in a foul mood. And it wasn't until lunchtime that Obito had figured out why. The bag had contained the makings for the perfect eggplant and miso soup, and that in turn reminded them both of the silver-haired jonin who had been gone for so long.

Obito frowned and moved across the kitchen to place one hand on the man's shoulder. "Are you okay, Iruka?"

He watched the chunin's reflection in the window, and saw his dark eyes blink several times before what he'd come to recognize as a fake smile crossed Iruka's lips. "Sorry about that. I must have just zoned out a bit."

Obito frowned at the man. "You're a chunin, Iruka. You _don't_ zone out."

The rice bowl and sponge were placed on the counter before Iruka leaned his now empty hands against the edge of the counter. "What do you want me to say, Obito? That I'm okay with whatever the hell it is that's going on here? That I'm sure that wherever Kakashi was taken, that he's sure to be fine?"

Obito took a step back as he felt a wave of anger flow off the man. "I didn't say that. I was just..."

Iruka spun on him, and he cringed at the sight of the wild-eyed, red-faced man. "You're just _what_? Just figuring I was starting to _lose it_?"

Obito put his hands up between them, trying to think of the words that might calm the obviously pissed-off man. "I _never_ said that! I was just _worried_, that's all." His next words were barely above a whisper. "I...I just don't want _them_ to think they need to take _you_ away, too."

That seemed to be enough to drain all the anger away from Iruka, and the man stood there for a few heart beats just staring at him, making Obito feel a bit embarrassed. "Obito, is that really what you think happened? You think that they took Kakashi away because of you?"

He chewed on his bottom lip before daring to answer the man. "Well, yeah. Are you telling me that you haven't thought that too?"

Iruka let loose a sigh and stepped over to sit at the table. He motioned for Obito to take one of the other chairs, and once they were both sitting, Iruka met his eyes. "I admit that the timing of it all did make me think that."

Obito lowered his head at the chunin's declaration. He should have known better than to think that he wouldn't be blamed. So when Iruka kept speaking, it took a bit for the words to sink in to Obito's guilt-ridden brain.

"But Kakashi was getting into trouble on his own long before you showed up. Besides, if it was truly your presence that was the cause of all this, don't you think that by now you and I would have been taken away too?"

Obito raised his head and saw a genuine smile stretched across Iruka's face. But he was still confused about one thing. "So then why did they take Kakashi?"

Iruka shrugged. "I really don't have a clue on that. But, I definitely think it's time that we found out, don't you?"

Obito pushed back from the table until he was teetering on the back legs of his chair. He ignored the look of disapproval from his roommate and tried to think things through. Without Madara's thoughts echoing in his mind, he was surprised to find himself still able to puzzle things out. But he could, and he owed it to Kakashi to at least attempt to figure out just what the hell was going on.

"Okay. We know that, like you said, if it had to do with me then we both would have been taken away too, right?" Iruka nodded at him. "And we still don't even know _where_ they took Kakashi, so it is entirely possible that he was needed for a mission, right?"

Iruka frowned at him. "Well, only if the mission didn't require Kakashi to have any chakra at all, or the ability to walk for more than ten minutes."

Obito scratched at one of the scars stretching across the right side of his face, and he felt his skin flush a bit. "Oh yeah. Sorry about that. So a mission is ruled out then. What about additional therapy?"

"If that's the case, why didn't they take the rest of Kakashi's meds? It's almost like they _want_ him to suffer."

Obito frowned at that thought. "I don't get it, Iruka. Why go to all the trouble of trying to fix him in the first place if they wanted him to suffer at all?"

He watched Iruka tip his own chair backward and held back the urge to chuckle at the move. The two fell into a comfortable silence as they each tried to come up with some reasoning for all of this. Eventually, Obito let his chair back down to the floor and leaned his elbows on the tabletop.

"Why don't we just ask the Hokage?"

Iruka seemed to be seriously thinking about his question before he responded. "Maybe because we're both idiots?"

Obito grinned at the man. "That sounded far too much like something Kakashi would say."

His grin was returned. "Yeah, it did, didn't it?"

"So, how do we go about it?"

Iruka pushed himself up and walked over to the front door. Obito followed a step behind him. The chunin pulled that door open and was greeted by the sight of one of their keepers blocking the way. He watched the two stare at each other for quite some time before the ANBU spoke.

"You know you cannot leave, Iruka-sensei."

Obito expected Iruka to blow up at the man, but instead the chunin crossed his arms in front of himself and shrugged. "Fine. Then one of you will need to bring my message to the Hokage."

Again silence reigned, and after another handful of minutes, the ANBU lowered his head a fraction of an inch. "What is your message?"

Obito held his breath, hoping that Iruka knew what he was doing. After all, if the man didn't phrase this just right, he doubted they'd manage to do more than annoy the masked shinobi at the door.

"Tell her that Obito's dreams have come back."

What the hell? Did Iruka _really_ just say that? How, in Kami's name was _that_ supposed to get the ANBU to send for the Hokage? Dammit all, he should have made the man tell him what he was going to say _before_ the door was opened!

Surprisingly, the ANBU lifted one hand in front of him and disappeared into the air. Another ANBU took his place in front of them, and Iruka closed the door before turning to face Obito. There was a smug look across the chunin's face that caused Obito to just stare at him for a bit before finally finding his voice.

"Are you _insane?_ What the hell was _that?_"

Iruka smiled wider at him and moved back into the kitchen. Obito turned and followed the man as he tried to figure out just what was going on. He watched in stunned silence as Iruka went over to the sink and starting filling the water kettle as though it was just another day. The man set the kettle to boil and opened a cabinet over the stove top before he turned his head back toward Obito.

"Do you think I should make green tea...or something fruity?"

That finally snapped Obito out of his shock, and he clenched his fists in frustration. "Why the hell are you even _making_ tea?"

Iruka shrugged and grabbed one of the tins out of the cabinet. "I thought it might be nice to have some ready for when the Hokage shows up."

Obito let his face show the confusion he was feeling as he sank back onto his chair. "You can't honestly think that what you said will work, can you?

Iruka smiled at him. "Of course I can. I just wish that I'd thought of it sooner!"

Obito was about comment on the fact his roommate had officially lost his mind, when the front door was pushed open, and the Hokage stepped into the apartment. The woman slammed the door shut before walking with purpose into the kitchen. She looked more than a bit tense as she set her golden eyes on Obito. For his part, Obito ran a hand across the back of his neck and averted his gaze toward the top of the table, suddenly feeling more than a bit uncomfortable from her piercing gaze.

Iruka's cheerful voice seemed strangely out of place amidst the tense atmosphere. "You're just in time, Lady Tsunade. The tea is almost ready."

* * *

Ibiki looked down at the man sagging in the chair and wished for the thousandth time that day that he'd followed a different path in his life. The silver hair hung in a curtain in front of Kakashi's face, hiding the many bruises that he knew were there. After all, they'd been caused by his own fists.

It was very rare for Ibiki to need to resort to physical force when interrogating a prisoner, and when it did come to that, he never felt that the recipient didn't deserve it. Until now, that is.

This entire interrogation had set his stomach off from the very start. From the way the Elders had positioned themselves against the wall to watch every moment, to the way they'd insisted he continue the process long after he'd determined there was nothing false in any one of the answers to the dozens of questions he'd placed to the Copy-ninja. Add to that the fact that they'd filled the room with numerous Yamanaka, and it was clear to him that this was never meant to be a normal interrogation. Now, hours after he'd started this process, he was left with only one conclusion...Kakashi Hatake was suffering for absolutely no good reason.

Of course, Ibiki kept those thoughts deep within his own mind. It wouldn't do anyone good if these manipulative men and women started to think that he was a threat to whatever sick plan they were trying to pull off. Instead he wiped his bloodied hands off on a towel and walked over to where the Elders were quietly talking to each other. He waited until they acknowledged his presence before speaking, making sure to choose words that could not be twisted beyond their intrinsic meaning.

"This man is completely loyal to Konoha."

By the sour expressions on the Elders' faces it was instantly clear to Ibiki that his words were not what they'd hoped to hear. And when they turned and walked out of the room without a single word, he wondered just what the hell was going on. A moment later, and the gaggle of Yamanaka left as well, leaving him and the ever present ANBU guards alone with the subject of the Elders' wrath.

At the sound of Kakashi coughing up what was likely more than just phlegm, Ibiki sighed and moved over to kneel in front of the man. He gently tipped the man's head up until his mouth was in sight. The slight froth of blood along the lips was enough to confirm his earlier thought, and he used the towel that was still in his hands to wipe away as much of the red liquid as he could.

All through it, Kakashi's half-lidded eye watched him. There was no anger or accusation in that steady gaze. Instead, all Ibiki saw was a silent acceptance for what was done to him. It was enough to make Ibiki want to hunt down the Elders and place _them_ into his interrogation chair. But it wasn't his place to second-guess his orders, and although it was tempting, he wasn't about to start now.

He glanced up at the ANBU stationed behind Kakashi and nodded once. At that silent command, the ANBU bent down and released Kakashi's arms and legs from their restraints. A quiet sigh left the Copy-ninja's lips as he sagged forward in the chair. Ibiki caught the man easily enough, and at the feel of just how thin Kakashi had grown during his time within this place, once more he was tempted to hunt down the Elders. The body within his arms started shaking slightly, and it took a moment for Ibiki to realize that Kakashi was actually chuckling.

He pushed the man back into the chair until the haggard face came into view. Before he could say a word himself, Kakashi pushed himself to speak. "I never...took you for the hugging type...Ibiki."

Part of him wanted to shout in joy over the fact that Kakashi was still mentally intact enough to make a joke, but another part of him wanted to slap him for making light of what he was going through. Didn't the kid get the fact he was being targeted by some of the most powerful people in the Village?

"This isn't the time for jokes, Kakashi."

The dark eye closed and a slight frown settled on the Copy-ninja's lips. "You might be right...but it beats feeling sorry for myself." The eye opened and there was a hint of mischief in its depths. "Besides...it pisses the Elders off every time."

It was at that very moment that the ANBU stepped forward to reclaim their assigned prisoner. Ibiki knew better than to get in the way of their duty, but it still left a bad taste in his mouth when they lifted Kakashi's beaten body off the chair and silently dragged him out of the room.

Ibiki shook his head as he spoke into the empty room. "Sometimes I forget what an idiot you can be, Hatake. Let's just hope it doesn't get you killed this time."

He stood up and shoved his hands deep into his pockets before glancing down at the newest additions to his blood-stained floor. His eyes narrowed, and he silently promised himself to get to the bottom of just what the hell was going on. And as that thought crossed his mind, a smirk tugged at his lips. He glanced back in the direction they'd taken Kakashi and chuckled deep in his chest. Maybe the kid wasn't as much of an idiot as he'd thought. After all, everyone knew that once Ibiki got something into his head that he wouldn't let it go until it was resolved.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Of Sleep and Shadows

Mouse watched in silence as the prisoner fell into a fitful sleep. Not once had the man behind that steel door asked for so much as an extra sip of water, even though the Elders had restricted him to just one cup a day. The sorry excuse for food that was pushed through the bars in the door was barely enough to keep a rat alive, let alone a grown man, but still no complaint was given. With each passing day the prisoner's body suffered from the harsh treatment, until Mouse found himself wondering just how much more the jonin could take before succumbing to it all.

He was on duty tonight with the sole purpose of making certain that this prisoner was woken up every time he started to fall asleep. But seeing the frighteningly thin form of the once strong Copy-ninja as he shuddered in the corner of his damp cell...he just couldn't do it.

"You are meant to wake him up, not just stare at him."

The gruff voice of Ibiki Morino sent a rush of adrenalin through Mouse's body, but his years of service in the ANBU meant that none of his anxiety was visible to the naked eye. Still, he was pretty sure the man sensed his unease all the same. Of course, he knew better than to lie to the scarred man, and he also knew that what he was about to say would likely result in his own punishment for insubordination. But when he shifted his eyes back toward the huddled form of his senpai, he knew that he didn't care any more.

"I cannot cause this man any more pain than has already been done to him."

"Cannot? Or _will_ not?"

Mouse removed his ANBU and mask turned to face the interrogator. "I _will not_ cause Kakashi-senpai any more pain."

Ibiki narrowed his eyes, making it clear that the man was judging him. After more than a few uncomfortable moments of silence, the head of T&I shoved his hands into the pockets of his coat and motioned toward the cell with his head.

"Then you should wake him now...before your words prove false, Tenzou."

"I...I don't understand."

Ibiki shook his head slightly at him, as though in disappointment, and then moved closer to the door to Kakashi's cell. When the key to the cell was pulled from the man's pocket, Tenzou quickly stepped between the towering figure and the cell door. He schooled his features into one of the looks that, according to Naruto, was just 'too creepy,' and stared into the eyes of the taller man.

Ibiki met his gaze steadily, and the two of them stood there, motionless for countless seconds. It wasn't until a pained moan came from inside the cell that the two seemed to break out of their staring contest.

"Tenzou, one of us needs to wake the kid up..._now_. To do otherwise is to allow the Elders' less visible torture to continue."

The sincerity in Ibiki's voice caught him by surprise, and when the man raised the key once more, Tenzou stepped back without a sound. It took less than three seconds for the door to be opened and for Ibiki to enter. By the time Tenzou had entered the room, Konoha's top interrogator had already woken Kakashi, and was now holding the jonin securely within his arms, rocking ever so slightly in what was unmistakeably an attempt to soothe the man.

His senpai's once bright and gravity-defying silver hair was limp and lifeless, and it stuck to the man's sweat-covered brow. But it was the look deep in Kakashi's exposed eye that would likely follow Tenzou into his dreams for some time to come. That look showed a level of pain and fear that he'd never seen his senpai show in all the years that he had known the man, even when they had both been held captive during an ANBU mission gone wrong.

That look slowly faded away as the Copy-ninja crept back to full awareness. And, although the exposed eye still looked unbelievably tired, it no longer looked quite so haunted.

"That's it, Kid. Just breathe." The level of caring in Ibiki's voice was surprising. "None of that was real..._none_ of it."

A raspy chuckle came out of Kakashi's parched lips. "If that was true, Old Man, then it wouldn't be half as effective."

Tenzou stepped closer to them. "I never would have thought that sleep could be used as torture. I thought that letting you sleep was what you needed. Forgive me, Senpai."

He watched the Copy-ninja shift within the bulk of Ibiki's arms, as though trying to find a more comfortable position. "There's nothing to forgive. You couldn't have known what they did to me."

Tenzou shifted his gaze to Ibiki. "What _did_ they do to Kakashi-senpai?"

A low growl came from the interrogator's chest before his explanation left his lips. "I knew that there had to be a reason that the Elders always had at least four of the Yamanaka clan in the room for every single one of Kakashi's sessions. As near as I can figure it, they were waiting for the sleep deprivation and constant interrogations to leave an opening for them to implant their own versions of the Kid's past."

Tenzou frowned. "But why do that if they have the evidence to convict him already?"

Ibiki's sigh made it clear that he found that a bit perplexing as well, but it was Kakashi who answered his question.

"Although I haven't seen the documents myself, they likely will not hold up to close scrutiny. But if the Elders can get me to admit openly that I've done even half of what they are accusing me of, then the documents aren't needed at all."

Tenzou's frown deepened. "But you can't just stop sleeping, Senpai. That will kill you just as surely as a guilty verdict will."

The silence that met him from the two on the bed was all he needed to know he'd hit the nail on the head. He felt a helplessness wash over him at the realization that there very well may be nothing they could do to help his senpai survive this nightmare.

* * *

Iruka couldn't believe what he was hearing. Sure, Kakashi Hatake wasn't your typical, run of the mill shinobi. Heck, the silver-haired man actually made some of the most bizarre jonin out there look sane in comparison. But there was no way..._no way_...that he would have done any of the things Tsunade was hinting that he was being charged with.

And that was another thing. Since when did the Hokage ask his opinion on _anything_? Sure, he'd been something of a confidant to the Third, but that had always been more to do with decisions revolving around the Academy and the suggested student placements with particular jonin-sensei. And even then, his advice wasn't always followed. All a person needed to do was look at Team 7 to know that the Hokage quite often had his own ideas in mind.

Iruka scratched at the scar tissue stretched across the bridge of his nose and met Tsunade's eyes. Within those golden orbs, he saw just how exhausted the woman was.

"Forgive me, Hokage. But I doubt my opinion on this subject matters all that much. After all, you say that you had uncovered documents backing up the charges, right?"

He watched her perch her chin on her intertwined hands and narrow her eyes at him. "Considering the fact that you brought me here under false pretenses, Umino, I figure that you owe me a real answer to my question. So let me put it another way. You and Kakashi were kids around the same time. What do you remember about the brat?"

Iruka sighed in frustration once he realized that there was no way to avoid this topic. "Honestly? I was only two years old when Kakashi graduated from the Academy. I was more concerned with finding my missing dolphin than I was with what was going on in the Village."

He felt his face flush in embarrassment as the Hokage failed to hide the laughter in her voice. "Your..._dolphin?_"

Iruka braced himself for a similar reaction from Obito, but the Uchiha was being uncharacteristically quiet. One glance across the table caused a lump to form in the middle of his stomach, which only grew with each word from the man's lips.

"Ah...I don't suppose you're talking about a dingy blue thing with half its stuffing falling out, are you?"

At this point Tsunade was laughing out loud, and Iruka was finding it very hard to control the urge to choke the life out of the dark-haired man sitting across from him.

"What did you do with it, Obito?"

The man shifted within his chair. "Technically...it was Kakashi who suggested it..."

Iruka leaned forward and locked his eyes on the unwanted house guest. "_What_ did you do with it?"

Obito rubbed at the back of his neck. "Well, you see...we were talking about different ways to target an enemy that wasn't in line of sight...and well..._I_ suggested we draw a stick figure on the door to the bathroom to test out our theories...and well, Kakashi pointed out that we didn't have any more markers...and we both thought we needed something more _solid_ to hit...and well, I remembered seeing this fluffy blue thing in the cupboard over the refrigerator shoved all the way in the back...and, well..."

Iruka closed his eyes and took a slow breath through his nose. At least now he knew what was used on his walls wasn't blood. "Why were you in that cupboard, Obito?"

"I was hungry...and you were out of ramen again. And who the hell keeps a stuffed toy in their kitchen anyway?"

Through all of this, Tsunade continued to chuckle, and even though Iruka knew that the Hokage was probably thankful for the break of tension, he also knew that he couldn't give her the answers she was looking for. He opened his eyes and leaned back into his chair with a sigh.

"I'm sorry, Hokage, but I don't remember ever meeting Kakashi until we were on a mission together just before I joined the Academy staff."

His words were enough to bring all of them back into focus. When Tsunade spoke there was no trace of her laughter left.

"Then I have no choice but to believe what the Elders have presented. Kakashi will have to be executed."

And for the first time since Obito was dropped at Iruka's door, both of them were left speechless.

* * *

For the twentieth time in less than half an hour Inoichi found himself wishing he'd had a son. Maybe then they'd be discussing jutsu at the dinner table instead of the latest gossip from within the walls of the Mission Room. He gave up pretending he understood his child long before she'd reached her teenage years, and at this point he was an expert at tuning the young woman out. But when the room suddenly fell silent, Inoichi found himself momentarily at a loss for just what would ever be able to cause his child to be quiet. That is, until he sensed the ANBU standing just to the side of him.

It wasn't unheard of to have one of Konoha's elite appear within his residence. But it wasn't common enough that his wife and daughter would be used to it, either. In fact, it had to have been over a year since the last time one of the masked soldiers graced his home.

"Dad, what's going on?"

His daughter's quiet voice broke the silence, and when he turned his gaze toward where she was sitting, he felt a moment of pride at the fact the girl's hand was reaching for her kunai pouch. He was glad to see that all that gossip hadn't lessened her shinobi instincts.

He turned toward the silent ANBU and took in the markings on the mask before he pushed himself up to stand beside the man. Whatever was going on must be serious. It was rare that they'd send Mouse to fetch him.

"I'm sure it's nothing, Ino. Just watch over your mother until I return."

Before he could say any more, the ANBU placed their hand on his shoulder and then the two of them sank down through the floor. It was one of the more unique forms of the transportation jutsu, and it was most definitely not one that Inoichi wanted to get in the habit of using. It actually left him far more disoriented than the traditional form, and if there was one thing he hated above all else, it was not knowing what was going on around him.

The moment they sank below the floorboards of his house, he closed his eyes and readied himself for the disturbing lurch his stomach always made once Mouse pulled the two of them up into their destination. He wasn't disappointed, and once his stomach settled a bit, and he was certain he wouldn't lose his dinner, he opened his eyes and took in the scene he'd been brought into. And just like that...his stomach turned sour once more.

In his career as a shinobi of Konoha he had seen all manner of prisoners. Some were actually in much worse shape physically than the one he was now looking at. But the difference here was that this prisoner was someone that Inoichi thought of as a member of his family...even though the stubborn brat refused to admit it to himself.

The sight of Kakashi being held up by Ibiki nearly broke Inoichi's heart, and the dull look in the young man's eye made it clear that many of the rumors he'd heard over the past weeks may true after all. He felt Mouse squeeze his shoulder a moment before the man's quiet words reached his ear.

"Help him."

Inoichi frowned. This was the first time he'd ever been brought into the T&I cells for anything other than extracting memories, but one look into Ibiki's eyes showed him that this was anything but a normal visit. He stepped closer to where Kakashi was waiting, and the dark circles under the younger man's eye made it clear that he hadn't slept soundly in far too long. The obvious question was why?

Kakashi was renowned for being able to rest in even the worst of situations. For him to be in such bad shape made it clear that something less obvious than his environment was at play. Inoichi furrowed his brow as he knelt on the floor and placed his palm against Kakashi's forehead. The skin he connected with was cold and clammy, and the fact that the young man was actually leaning into his touch was more than enough to cause his worries to increase.

Without looking away from his former sensei's child, Inoichi directed his questions to the man that was still supporting the younger jonin on the bed.

"Why didn't you call for me sooner?"

"He had it under control until just recently."

Inoichi frowned. "And what exactly did he have control of?"

It was at this moment that the silver-haired jonin chose to speak. "My dreams."

"Your dreams?" He pulled his hand away from Kakashi and turned toward Ibiki with narrowed eyes. "Since when is dream manipulation included in your bag of tricks, Morino?"

The scarred man glared back at him. "It isn't."

That was certainly not the answer he'd expected. "So who the hell else is suicidal enough to muck around in this kid's head? You know better than to let people do this...especially with what's in there."

He could sense the anger boiling just below the surface of the man, and he hoped that this meant Ibiki was about to fill him in on what was really going on here. "My opinion wasn't asked for before they did this to the kid."

Inoichi was beginning to lose patience. "Before _who_ did _what!_"

"Before your _cousins_ meddled on behalf of the Elders and implanted _dreamscapes_ into Kakashi's mind."

Inoichi felt as though he'd had a bucket of ice water thrown at him. There was _no way_ he'd just heard what he had thought he'd heard. No way. Dreamscape implantation was not something any sane person did to _anyone..._but it was especially not something you did to an elite jonin whose mind was already fractured from his years of service to Konoha. But then again, it wasn't exactly a sane world they were living in if one as loyal as Kakashi Hatake was being placed into a maximum security cell.

Inoichi pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. If what Ibiki had said truly had happened, there was very little chance that he'd be able to do much about it. Depending on the level of experience that the person inserting the dreamscape had, it could be near impossible to separate the truth from the fabrication. It was part of the reason that the dreamscape jutsu had been declared forbidden. It was just too dangerous.

He took in a slow, steady breath before opening his eyes and asking the one question which would determine whether or not he'd be able to help the last link to the White Fang.

"Which one of my idiot cousins was fool enough to do this?"

"Shoukei..."

Inoichi let out a sigh of relief. That particular fool was famous for skipping steps. He was about to mention that very fact when Ibiki continued speaking.

"As well as Ukkari, Gashuu, and Gakuto."

"Dammit! Any one of them on their own would have meant there was nothing to truly worry about. But with the four of them working together...I just don't know...they might just be able to succeed."

"If it makes any difference, I don't think they ever truly worked together."

It took Inoichi a moment to realize that the soft voice that had just spoken was actually coming from Kakashi. He focused on the young man once more.

"How can you be so sure?"

"I'm a genius, aren't I?" A hoarse laugh tried to come from the depths of the young jonin's chest, but it ended up sounding more like a gasp of pain than anything else. "Inoichi, I've worked with your family enough times to know that, if they are arguing out loud, then there isn't much chance that a combined jutsu will work as planned."

He smiled at those words, as memories of the many times a much younger Kakashi had tagged along to some of the training exercises he'd needed to suffer through on his own journey to jonin. The young boy had been willing to be used for the scanning sessions that Inoichi was required to perform before being allowed access to the higher level scrolls of Yamanaka techniques. And the boy had been the one to point out to him that the likely reason he had failed his first attempt at a combination jutsu was because he'd been unwilling to let anyone but himself take the lead for all the steps.

It had been quite the revelation that the then four-year old child had a firmer grasp on the A-ranked combination jutsu than a member of the Yamanaka clan. But once Inoichi's bruised ego had healed, it turned out that Kakashi's insights were accurate at least ninety percent of the time. And with the boy's input, he quickly rose in standing within his clan, as well as being the first within his team to achieve jonin rank.

A muffled yawn from Kakashi brought Inoichi's thoughts back to the present, and made it clear that the young man was starting to lose the battle to stay awake. So if he wanted to see just what his cousins had done to the jonin, he'd need to start right away, before another dreamscape could do anymore damage.

"Kakashi, just how far back in your life do the memories go?"

He watched the younger man lick his parched lips and close his eye. "To the very beginning. They're nearly at my very first memories already."

"I was afraid you'd say that."

Ibiki shifted the jonin in his arms ever so slightly. "What's the problem, Inoichi?"

"I need to go in there and scrape off the layers that I know are false, and reinforce the true ones based on my own memories. But I never met Kakashi until I was assigned to Sakumo-sensei's team. He was a little over two years old by then."

Mouse stepped closer and looked down at him. "Are you saying that he can clearly remember things from when he was younger than that?"

Inoichi sighed. "I wouldn't be surprised if the kid had memories of being pushed out of his mother's womb."

Again, Kakashi attempted to laugh. "Not quite that far back, thankfully. But I've always been able to clearly recall the first time my father looked into my eyes. Mah...I think that was five days later."

He sank back and placed his palms on top on his thighs. "Which leaves an awful lot of wiggle room for my cousins to work with. After all, the only people who would have had any true recollection of that time period would have been Kakashi's parents...both of whom are dead."

Mouse sank to his knees. "Then all is lost. I've failed you again, Senpai."

"Stop being melodramatic. My parents may be gone, but there is one other who was there from the time I was born."

Ibiki's gruff voice put words to what Inoichi was thinking. "Unless you had an older sister that no one in Konoha knew about, Kid, there wasn't anyone else there. Are you sure those are _your_ memories?"

"I've already told you that the altered dreams seem to be working from my most recent memories, toward the earlier ones." Kakashi yawned once more. "And, for the record, I never said that I was talking about a person."

Inoichi couldn't help but chuckle at how the kid thought, but when yet another yawn wracked Kakashi's body he knew what he needed to do. "Ibiki, how much time will whatever you did to keep this cell off the camera feed work?"

"Another hour at the most. Will that be enough time?"

"It will have to be." He rolled up his sleeves and motioned toward Kakashi. "Lay him down and step aside. I won't be able to reverse anything tonight, but I will be able to block any further damage from occurring."

Mouse stood up once more. "Is there anything we can do to help?"

"For now, just stay out of the way." He maneuvered himself into a position where he'd be able to place his palms on either side of Kakashi's head. "Ibiki, when will I have access to him again?"

"It'll need to be at least three days from now to avoid suspicions. Make sure to leave no traces. Your cousins check him each morning."

Inoichi was just about to remind the T&I specialist just who he was lecturing to, when Kakashi reached up to grasp him by the wrist. "Once you finish the block you'll need to find a reason to visit Iruka."

"Iruka? The Academy instructor?"

He watched a slight smile curve across the unmasked lips that he hadn't seen in years. "He's found a new job as a dog-sitter. Pakkun can give you what you'll need before we meet again."

"Fifty-eight minutes."

Ibiki's firm voice stopped all further conversation, and Inoichi closed his eyes and sank into a connection with Kakashi's mind. It took him several tries to access what he needed to create a block which wouldn't be detected by any of his cousins, but once he was finished there would be no fear of Kakashi losing too much more than he already had.

* * *

Homura shifted his eyes from side to side to make certain that no one was watching him as he turned down the deserted street on his way to where he'd be meeting up with the others. His heart was racing by the time he'd arrived at the rundown bar they'd agreed to use, and as he slipped into the dimly lit interior, he cursed his old age when he realized he couldn't quite make out the faces of the patrons that were sitting in the shadows all around the room.

He frowned and moved with a slight limp in his gait that he was certain was giving the seedier patrons in the bar the idea that he'd be easy pickings once he'd liquored up a bit. And truth be told, the way the sweat was rolling down his back at having to walk so far, they just might be right.

"Is that you, Homura?"

A wave of relief washed over him when the gravely voice of his old teammate, Kohara, reached his ears, giving him a better idea of which shadowed booth held the trio he was looking for. The closer he moved to the back of the establishment, the clearer the faces of those waiting for him became.

His eyes swept over the worried faces of the three people he sat on the Elders Council with, and he fervently wished they'd never laid eyes on the dark-haired man who'd made their lives a living hell over the last month and a half. There was no doubt in his mind that each of them was nearly as shaken by what was happening as he was. He only hoped that he was doing a better job of hiding his emotions than the rest of the group.

"You're late."

Homura thanked his shinobi training when that deep voice came from directly behind him. It, alone, had kept him from jumping like some startled rabbit. He took a steadying breath before answering the man, who even now was guiding him with a firm hand toward the grimy table where the others were.

"You're the one who told us to make sure no one saw us coming here. I had to wait for my assistant to leave first so that I wouldn't raise suspicions."

A long sigh preceded the man's response. "You never were one for stealth, Homura...even as a jonin. It always amazed me that those two morons were able to make you into a shinobi at all."

"Don't you _dare_ insult them!" The words sprang from his lips in a hiss, but he knew better than to speak louder than a whisper in this environment.

The man leaned toward him. "Or what? If you thought you could defeat me, Homura, you wouldn't be where you are right now. Sit down...and don't forget what will happen if you fail to do my bidding."

Those words were enough to take the fight out of him, and he lowered his head in defeat as he slid onto the bench. A moment later, and Kohara broke the awkward silence, although the tightness in her voice made it clear she did not appreciate any of this.

"We've done what you've asked us to do. Even now, Kakashi Hatake's memories are being rewritten. He should be confessing to treason before the end of the week."

A slow smile pulled at the man's lips. "And when will his execution take place?"

Homura glared at the man. "His death will occur once Princess Tsunade signs the order. Kakashi will receive his lethal injection within twenty-four hours of the order being recorded."

The dark-haired man's face twisted into a snarl. "That's _not_ what I told you to do!"

All of those gathered at the table cringed at the waves of anger flowing at them, even as every eye in the place turned toward where they were seated. Homura swallowed down his latest fear, and spoke with what he hoped was a steady voice.

"You asked us to arrange for the Copy-ninja to lose face within Konoha and be killed because of it. That is exactly what we've done. We've kept our side of the bargain."

He paused to give his heartbeat a chance to calm down. The shadows seemed to settle around the features of the man, causing them to shift, and momentarily make Homura see the facade of the man who was truly holding all the cards.

"It's time for you to keep your side of the bargain, Madara Uchiha. Release our grandchildren."

"Hatake's death is to be _public_. If it is not, then those of your grandchildren _will_ be."

With those words still hanging in the air, they watched the man disappear in a puff of white smoke.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

The Best Laid Plans of Dogs and Men

After Tsunade's declaration about Kakashi's impending execution, the atmosphere in Iruka's home had taken a definite downturn. Even after Obito's attempt to fill the Hokage in on what _he_ could remember of Kakashi's life during their time as teammates, the blond-haired woman had simply pointed out that any testimony from him would never be admissible, considering he had been sharing his mind with Madara for decades.

Obito felt his eye tearing up. "Dammit! I wish those stupid boulders had killed me back then!"

"Don't say that!" Iruka grabbed him by the shoulders until they were face to face. "Don't _ever_ say that!"

He shook his head and pulled out of the chunin's grip. "Why not? If I'd died back then, maybe Kakashi wouldn't be where he is right now!"

A long suffering sigh came from the direction of the kitchen table. "Trust me Obito. That brat has never had a problem getting into trouble all on his own. If you _had_ died back then, all that would have changed is that Madara would have found someone else to use."

He frowned at the Hokage's words, knowing that she was right. "Yeah, I suppose so. Heck, that bastard even told me that he'd thought about using Itachi at one point."

Iruka placed a hand on Obito's shoulder and squeezed lightly. "Trust me on this, if he'd used Itachi then things would have been much worse."

He scowled at the man. "So _you_ think Itachi-bastard is better than me too? Great! That's just great."

A low chuckle from Tsunade made him direct a glare at the woman. She held up her hands between them. "Slow down, Obito. I doubt Iruka meant it _that_ way. But he is right about one thing. It _would_ have been much worse, because of the shared time the two had during their teenage years."

Obito rolled his eyes. "You make it sound like they were in a relationship."

Tsunade's lips pulled into a thin line, and it was clear she was trying to decide just how much to say to them. After a few silent moments, he was starting to wonder if maybe the two _had_ been involved, but that thought was chased away with the Hokage's next words.

"None of this goes beyond this house, or you'll be in a cell right next to the brat. Got it?"

Both he and Iruka nodded their understanding, and they all moved back into the kitchen and took their seats. Tsunade chewed on the side of her thumb, and stared at each of them as though she still was debating about just how much to tell them. The silence stretched on for so long that, when she finally did speak, Obito nearly jumped at the sound.

"The only relationship those two ever had was in the ANBU as senpai and kouhai. And that was strictly a business relationship. Those two combined to form the most successful ANBU cell in the history of Konoha."

A gasp from Iruka made it clear that the man must have some knowledge of what the Hokage was talking about. "Are you saying that they were _that_ cell?"

Obito looked between the two, and felt like the only one in the room who was clueless. Which, if he thought about it for a moment, was actually true. He crossed his arms in front of him and cleared his throat.

"Do I get to know what the hell you two are talking about? Or should I just stay in the dark, hmm?"

Iruka had the decency to look embarrassed, but the Hokage just glared at him before she spoke again. "What I'm talking about, Obito, is that this particular ANBU cell had a one hundred percent success rate. They had found ways to blend their jutsu together that no other cell since has been able to replicate. Any weakness in one member was immediately addressed by the other."

Obito's eyes went wide. "So, if Madara had taken over Itachi, he would have immediately known every one of Kakashi's weaknesses?"

Tsunade smiled at him. "That's right. Plus he would have known some of the darkest secrets of this village."

Iruka joined in. "Not only that, but he would have known things that _only_ the ANBU know."

Obito watched as Tsunade narrowed her gaze at the Academy sensei. "Should I be worrying about just how much you may know about these things, Umino?"

Iruka's face turned deep red under the scrutiny of the Hokage, and Obito couldn't help but chuckle. Which, in turn, had both of them glaring at him. He rolled his eyes and stared back at them.

"What? I can't enjoy it when someone _else_ is getting targeted?"

They both responded as one. "No!"

Then Tsunade's attention turned back to Iruka. "You haven't answered my question yet, Sensei."

"Well, you see, I've been sort of the unofficial records keeper for the classified ANBU mission updates since the Third Hokage was in charge. And, well, part of my duties were to sort and organize all ANBU-level reports from inactive cells."

Obito stared at his roommate, slack-jawed at what he was hearing. Since when were _chunin_ given the type of clearance that was needed for such a sensitive job?

"Since when is a _chunin_ given such a task, Umino?"

Obito nearly fell off his chair when the woman echoed his thoughts. But, if _he_ had been shocked by her words, Iruka had actually looked angry. Which was proven when the next words came from the man's mouth.

"And why _not_ a chunin? You know damn well that I'm not going to spill any secrets. Hell, there aren't any real secrets in the Hokage's copies of those reports anyhow. Everything classified was redacted out of them long before the papers left ANBU headquarters. All that anyone could tell from what was left was which ANBU cell the missions were assigned to, and whether they were a success or a failure."

Obito could feel the tension in the air, and knew that if he didn't do something soon, they'd probably _all_ be locked up before the day was over. "Okay, so then we can all agree that having me be Madara's bitch for the last decade or so was the best thing all around. Great. But, can we get back to figuring out how we can help Kakashi now?"

Again, Tsunade sighed. "That's the problem. I can't think of a single way to get the brat out of this one without bringing the entirety of Konoha's legal system down all around us. And I'm sure the two of you can understand that I can't allow that to happen."

The silence that followed was so thick that Obito was starting to feel quite ill. He wished that he had a genius brain like Kakashi did so that he could think it all through and come up with the perfect solution. Heck, at this point he would have even settled for _Madara_ to be back in his head. Although, considering this was likely all a part of that sick bastard's plan to get even with Kakashi, maybe that wasn't a very good idea after all.

"Lady Tsunade?" Iruka's voice sounded deafening as it cut through the silence. "I don't suppose that you could arrange for Obito and I to at least look over the paperwork that the Elders used to arrest Kakashi, could you?"

For a moment, it looked as though the Hokage would deny the request outright, but then a pensive look covered her features. She scratched at her temple while narrowing her gaze at the Academy sensei. Then her eyes tracked over toward Obito, and he had the strangest feeling that the woman was measuring him up to be fed to the wolves. In fact, he had to suppress a shiver when her golden eyes seemed to sparkle, and her mouth twisted into a triumphant grin.

"That just might work!"

Obito and Iruka shared a confused glance before turning back toward the woman. She pushed herself away from the table and started pacing the length of the kitchen, muttering to herself just low enough that neither man could quite pick up all of her words. She kept this up for a few minutes before Obito had finally had enough.

"_What_ might just work, dammit!"

Tsunade's journey across the kitchen floor came to a stop, and she stared back at him with wide eyes before they settled back to normal. She returned to the table and sat down, leaning forward and perching her chin on her clasped hands.

"Here's the deal. Tomorrow morning, when the ANBU knock, they will have orders from me to transport you two into my office at the Hospital. After all, it only makes sense that I'd need to perform any medical checkup on someone who could very possibly still harbor some small trace of that Uchiha bastard."

Obito frowned, not quite sure if he should be offended with how she phrased that or not. But she continued with her explanation before he could worry too much about it.

"If I just _happened_ to be called out of the appointment by Shizune for something that only the Hokage can solve, well...who can say what folders may, or may not, be lying around on the desk for bored captives to peruse, hmm?"

Obito smiled at the brilliance of the Hokage's logic. But Iruka seemed a bit upset.

"Forgive me, Hokage. But that plan sounds perfect as a means of getting _Obito_ a chance to read the file over, but how exactly are you going to justify having _me_ tag along?"

"I'm the _Hokage_! I don't _need_ to justify things!"

"If that were true, Lady Tsunade, then you could just bring the files to us without needing a charade."

Her eyes flashed dangerously at Iruka, and Obito wondered if the woman was always this volatile. But a moment later, and her ire had passed, only to be replaced with a touch of sorrow. "You don't pull punches, do you, Umino? I'm starting to understand why the Third put so much faith in you."

Obito sighed. "But that still doesn't solve the problem of having a reason for Iruka to tag along for the appointment."

"Leave that to me."

All three of them turned toward the bedroom door to stare dumbly at the owner of the gruff voice that had interrupted their conversation. There was a confident look within the pug's eyes that made it clear that Pakkun wouldn't take no for an answer. Obito could only hope that perhaps some of Kakashi's genius had rubbed off on the beast throughout the years. Otherwise, their plan was over before it began.

* * *

Ibiki rubbed his fingers across the back of his neck and groaned. How the hell was he supposed to visit Iruka Umino without it looking suspicious? It wasn't like the two of them had anything in common. Well, nothing beyond their being shinobi of Konoha, that is. But that wasn't enough to explain why he'd suddenly want to spend time with the Sensei.

He silently cursed the string of bad luck that seemed to be circling around Kakashi these days. Rightfully, this journey to the residential district was supposed to be on Inoichi's list of things to do today. And the Yamanaka visiting the chunin's house wouldn't have seemed out of place at all. At least once a week since Iruka Umino had been forced into hosting his two guests, the Yamanaka Florist Shop had been bringing fresh cut flowers to the man's mouse.

Unfortunately, the elder Yamanaka's plans to visit Iruka were put on hold when the man was summoned to sit on an emergency meeting of the Konoha Council. He'd sent word to Ibiki early this morning asking for him to collect Kakashi's pup as soon as possible. Inoichi had the feeling that whatever reason there was for this impromptu meeting, it was likely going to cut their time-line with the kid down as well. And Ibiki was inclined to agree with that logic.

Which still left him with trying to figure out the best way to get at that damnable mutt in an area of town that he seldom went to, and that was currently being guarded by his hand-selected ANBU guard. Even if he decided to replace one of the ANBU on duty, he'd still be unable to explain needing to enter the house. This would be so much easier if he didn't need to keep up appearances. But ever since he'd been required to interrogate Kakashi, he'd noticed the Elders were watching him any time he'd been outside of his offices. Obviously those old bats didn't appreciate the fact that he hadn't supported their claims of Kakashi's treason.

"Excuse me, Sir."

Ibiki turned his gaze toward the young man who he'd known was standing at his office door for the last ten minutes. He'd wondered how long it'd take the fool to find the courage to interrupt him, and he was somewhat disappointed that it had taken so long. He remained silent for a few moments longer, watching to see if the man fidgeted at all under the weight of his icy stare. When, at last, there was the slightest flinch, he decided to put the poor kid out of his misery.

"Is there some reason that you are here, and not standing guard in Sector Three where I'd assigned you, Ox?"

The man, who was aptly named, considering his body took up most of the doorway, swallowed deeply before daring to answer. "There's been word from the Hokage's office, Sir."

Ibiki pushed himself up out of his chair and held his hand out. When Ox failed to take his hint, he sighed. "I assume you have a scroll for me?"

He noted Ox's ears had turned a shade of deep red, and made a mental note that he'd need to send the boy to desensitization training if he was ever going to succeed in the ANBU ranks. The man placed a small scroll into Ibiki's palm and waited while he opened and read the note. It appeared that Kami was smiling on him after all.

"Go fetch Rabbit, Mole, and Cricket."

Ox disappeared without so much as a trace of his passing, and Ibiki smiled to himself as he was reminded about just why he'd chosen the large man to join their ranks. It was rare indeed to find someone with the innate skill needed for an undetectable transportation jutsu, and rarer still for it to be someone with the build that Ox was blessed with. In fact, the last man to meet both of those criteria was him.

He stepped around to the front of his desk and leaned on its edge just as the requested ANBU materialized before him, with Ox beside them. All four soldiers went down on one knee and awaited their orders.

"The Hokage has requested a four-man team to extract Obito Uchiha immediately from his current residence and deliver him to her medical office for a mandatory check-up. Cricket, you will take lead."

Ox, Mole, and Cricket nodded their understanding at once, but Rabbit was noticeably on edge...just as Ibiki had known he'd be. "Is there a problem, Rabbit?"

"No, Sir."

To Rabbit's credit, he'd managed to keep professional in his tone. A moment later, though, and Cricket stood. He kept silent until Ibiki addressed him.

"What's on your mind, Cricket?"

"Sir, this assignment may need to be altered. Rabbit is no longer ANBU as of 1500 hours. The assignment will take him beyond that time-frame."

Of course, Ibiki had already known that. Just as he had known that the obsessively rules-conscious Cricket would be the one to point it out. After all, it was the easiest way for him to have a justifiable reason to join in the ANBU mission without drawing too much undo suspicion to his action. He made a show of checking the current time and then turned his attention back to Rabbit. It was just past 1100 hours, and the proper debriefing and deprogramming of an active ANBU was a thorough process that took upwards of twelve hours, depending on the level of clearance that the particular soldier had been given during their service.

"You will not have adequate time for out-processing if I send you on this assignment. Rabbit, report to Section Eighty Six. Follow all orders given to you by the out-processing unit. You are dismissed."

A deep bow from Rabbit was followed by his departure. There was no transportation jutsu used this time, as a silent acknowledgment to all within the room that this man was no longer ANBU. It was the first step in a long list of steps that Rabbit would need to follow before that final moment when his porcelain mask would be ceremoniously destroyed. Unlike others who had left ANBU, this final act was to show the permanence of Rabbit's departure. It was done for any and all soldiers that were found to be terminally ill after one too many exposures to any number of toxic substances throughout their careers. It hopefully would provide them with just enough time to put their affairs in order before their last breath.

Pushing the morbid thoughts down, Ibiki moved to join the remaining three ANBU. "There are no other operatives available at this time. I will complete your team."

Thankfully this was not the first time that he had used these words within this office, and so the others simply accepted the fact that he was to be their fourth. The group performed the transportation flawlessly, and appeared at the door of Iruka Umino's home. The assigned guards were presented with the scroll from Tsunade, and only after verifying its authenticity did they step aside to allow Cricket to knock on that door.

Now all that Ibiki had to do was figure out a way to get Kakashi's pug out of the building without raising any red flags. He sighed to himself. Some days he truly hated his life.

* * *

Iruka had spent all morning pacing throughout the house in an attempt to rid himself of some of the nervous energy he'd had ever since Tsunade left them yesterday. He could feel the eyes of Obito and Pakkun on him, and all that did was add to his anxiety. But, until this whole nightmare was settled, he knew that he'd be a wreck.

In the past, he'd been able to channel some of that energy into lesson plans and other Academy related tasks. But without that outlet, he was to a point where he'd literally be crawling up the walls soon. Well, that, or pinning a certain pug against the wall until the beast let him know just what his plan was that would supposedly ensure that Iruka was sent along with Obito to Tsunade's office.

He was startled out of his musings by a sharp knock on the door. His heart raced as he moved across the room to open the door, and at the sight of three new ANBU accompanied by none other than Ibiki Morino, Iruka didn't need to fake his surprise at all. One of the unknown ANBU stepped forward and handed him a small scroll. Iruka furrowed his brow and unrolled the document, which detailed the fact that they were here to collect Obito on behalf of the Hokage. Before he even had a chance to react to the message, the ANBU pushed by him and stepped into the room.

"You will turn Obito Uchiha over to us now."

Iruka had no idea how to respond to that. Of course, his house guest had no such problem.

"What did I tell you, Iruka! I _knew_ they'd come for me next! They're going to cart me away and torture me like they've probably already tortured Kakashi!" Obito grabbed one of the kitchen chairs and held it up as though it might ward off the ANBU. "Well I won't go down without a fight, dammit!"

The sudden outburst was so unexpected that Iruka would have believed it, if he didn't already know that Obito was in on this plan. But he had a part to play too, so we approached the Uchiha with hs hands out in a placating manner, and he used his best teacher's voice.

"Take it easy, Obito. They aren't here to arrest you. They're going to take you to the Hokage."

"Do you really think they'd tell _you_ what their _real_ plan was?" The chair was swung back and forth until it upended the teapot that had been sitting too close to the edge of the kitchen table. "That woman is going to _kill_ me!"

At the sound of the pottery shattering on the floor, Iruka lost his cool. "_That_ was a gift from one of my students, you bastard! Lady Tsunade may not get a chance to kill you, Obito, because I'll beat her to it!"

He lunged for the idiot, completely forgetting what they were supposed to be concentrating on. But just as he was within reach of the dark-haired menace, he felt a burning pain engulf his right hand, even as Obito was pulled clear of his attack by another one of the ANBU. While Iruka's mind tried to catch up with what had happened, his ears picked up the sound of growling from somewhere near his hand. But it wasn't until Ibiki showed up next to him and pulled Pakkun's teeth loose from where the beast had clamped onto him that Iruka started to understand just what the pug's master plan had been.

The next thing he knew, he was in the hands of one of the other ANBU, who wrapped a kitchen towel around his injured hand. Iruka glanced down at the improvised field dressing and cursed when he saw the large crimson spot already seeping through the cloth. He turned his attention toward Pakkun.

"What the hell was _that_ for?"

The pug, who was currently being held by the scruff of his neck by Ibiki, did not look apologetic at all...especially with the red stains from Iruka's blood coloring his lips. "I promised the Boss that I wouldn't let you kill the idiot."

Iruka simply stared at the animal, unsure of just how to respond to that declaration. Was this really the great plan that the fleabag had in mind?

"And what else have you promised Hatake, hmm? Perhaps you and I will spend some time discussing just that." Ibiki's words were enough to put a look of worry on the animal's face. "Cricket, take the Sensei to the Hokage. That wound needs attention at once."

Before Iruka could truly appreciate the fact that he was actually going to end up where he'd needed to be, the room swirled around him and he was pulled into a transportation jutsu. The faint sound of Pakkun whimpering pitifully was cut off as the jutsu took hold.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

A Rally of Genius Proportions

Kakashi was finding it harder and harder to tell fact from fiction when it came to his memories. The slow overwriting of his past by his tormentors was nearly complete, and he knew that if the Elders approached him anytime soon and told him that he had betrayed Konoha, he'd likely accept their lies and agree. But, for now, there was still one last burning kernel of truth buried deep within his mind that refused to let him take such a step. And that fact in itself was what had the quartet of Yamanaka shinobi in front of him fuming at their failure.

He watched them storm out of his cell, each blaming the other, and once the thick door settled back into place, he allowed himself a long sigh of relief. For now, at least, he'd managed to resist. But if there was one thing that he'd come to accept about this entire situation, it was that he certainly wouldn't be left alone for long. Still though, when he heard the lock disengaging less than two minutes after the Yamanaka tag-team left, he couldn't quite keep his heart-rate from racing as he wondered what new hell was coming through the door. But at the sound of a familiar gruff voice, he allowed a small smile to tug at his lips.

"Let go of me Morino, or I'll make sure to bite something that will hurt a hell of a lot more than what I did to the Sensei!"

Kakashi raised an eyebrow as his summon was tossed across the room to land on the end of the unforgiving cot. If his situation wasn't so grave, he would have made an appropriately sardonic comment about the exchange, but Pakuun was already crossing the distance to his side. Once there, the pug sat down and stared up at him in that way that showed him just how bad he really must look.

He crossed his arms and turned away from his nin-hound. "Stop looking at me like that."

A low whine came out of the dog's mouth as he pushed his nose against Kakashi's thigh. He knew that the sound was an involuntary action that was only made when one of the pack was severely injured. The fact that Pakuun was doing it now did nothing to calm his already frayed nerves. He glanced toward the pug and sighed before reaching out to scratch just behind the beast's left ear. It was enough to get the whine to stop, but it still didn't erase the unsettling look from animal's eyes.

"Tell me who did this to you, Pup."

Another frustrated sigh escaped Kakashi's lips. "Does that really matter, Pakuun?"

The pug sat back on his haunches and glared at him. "It'll matter to the pack."

"Kakashi, please tell me that you didn't have me risk the Elders' wrath just so you could have a chat with that flea-bag."

While Pakuun growled at the man, Kakashi turned his attention toward where Ibiki was standing in the doorway with his hands shoved into the pockets of his overcoat. "Since when are you worried about the Elders' wrath?"

The towering man stepped farther into the room with a frown. "Since I didn't get you to come up with the answers that they were looking for."

Kakashi leaned his head back against the stone wall and closed his eyes. "It's bad enough that they're messing with _my_ life. What the hell are they up to?"

They fell into an uneasy silence. None of them were willing to venture a guess of what grand scheme was behind all of this insanity. That silence reigned until someone stepped through the doorway and addressed them all.

"Ibiki, how long before someone comes to check in?"

Kakashi opened his eyes and noticed that Inoichi looked as though he'd just come back from a four day forced run, and somehow he knew that he wouldn't like what came next. Apparently Ibiki had come to the same conclusion.

"How much time do you need?"

Inoichi crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed before leaning forward and resting his forehead into the palms of his hands. "The more you can get me the better it'll be in the end. But time is definitely running out. The meeting that I just came from was to set an execution date for Kakashi."

At those words, Kakashi felt as though the world was pushing in around him. It wasn't that he was afraid to die, but in all of his wildest imaginings he'd never thought that his death would be at the hands of his own Village. His tongue felt thick in his mouth as he spoke.

"When is it set for?"

Inoichi shook his head, not even bothering to look at him. "Four days from today."

Pakkun climbed up onto Kakashi's lap and settled a bit before speaking. "At least that should give the Sensei and that Uchiha kid some time to do their part."

Inoichi glanced over at the pug in confusion, while Ibiki shook his head. "The only thing the Sensei will be doing today is bleeding...thanks to you, mutt."

Kakashi's head was spinning. "Wait a minute. Pakuun, you _bit_ Iruka-sensei?"

The nin-hound scratched at his ear. "It was all part of the plan, Boss."

"The plan?"

"Yup. Needed to make sure the Sensei would have to go to the Hospital with that idiot."

Kakashi pressed his fingertips against his temples and tried to rub away the headache that he felt coming. "Why would Obito need to go to the Hospital? Did you bite him too?"

Pakuun crossed his paws and placed his head on top of them with a huff. "Of course not. That's what the ANBU were for."

"You bit the _ANBU_?"

Pakuun's head tipped back to stare at him. "Why would I bite an ANBU? Most of them are as tough as leather."

Kakashi looked up at the sound of Ibiki's quiet laugh. "The Hokage ordered Obito to the Hospital for a checkup. The ANBU were sent to fetch him. The orders did not include the Sensei."

"Of course they didn't. Which is why I needed to bite him."

His headache was getting worse. "Great. Now Iruka has something to hold over my head once I get out of here."

"Which won't happen if we don't find a way to fix what my cousins have done to you." The man's eyes focused on the nin-hound before continuing. "Explain to me again how Pakuun will manage to help when he wasn't introduced to you until after your Father was already gone?"

Kakashi couldn't quite keep from cringing at the mention of Sakumo. After all, his mind was filled with conflicting memories of the man, and he wasn't quite sure how to tell fact from fiction anymore. Still, he had enough of his own mind left to remember just how Pakuun could help. He picked the pug up and looked into his dark eyes.

"I need you to bring Kinkaku."

"Are you nuts? That bitch hasn't been the same since your sire offed himself."

"_Pakuun!_" The tone of Inoichi's voice made it clear that the man wasn't happy with where this conversation was going.

Kakashi placed the nin-hound on the ground with a frown. "I wouldn't ask if there was any other way, Pakuun. But Kinkaku is the only one who was with my dad through it all."

Pakuun stared up at him in a way that made it clear that the pug definitely thought that he'd lost his mind. "She hasn't hung around the rest of the packs since you made jonin. Just what makes you think I can even find her?"

Kakashi rubbed at the back of his neck. "Because she's not that far away?"

The pug tipped his head and narrowed his eyes at him. "What did you do, Pup?"

"Nothing that I wouldn't do for any of you."

"Spill it!"

He crossed his arms in front of him and frowned down at Pakuun. "Not that I have to explain myself to you, but I found Kinkaku lying in the brush and nursed her back to health."

The pug tipped his head the other way. "What brush?"

"You know what brush."

"Damn you both! You _know_ that bitch was forbidden to go back there!"

Kakashi sighed and rubbed a palm across his forehead. "We'll deal with that later, Pakuun. Now go get her."

"I don't like this...but I'll do it for you, Pup." The pug stopped at the door and glanced back at him. "Only for you."

With that, Pakuun dashed out of the cell, leaving him alone with Inoichi and Ibiki. Those two men looked rather confused, but it was the Yamanaka that voiced it.

"Time is short, Kakashi. Why didn't you just send one of us for Kinkaku?"

"Because she wouldn't let either one of you anywhere near her. Ibiki, she would have smelled my blood on you. While you, Inoichi, would have triggered bad memories for her. Or don't you remember the last time you saw her?"

He watched the color rise on the blond man's cheeks, knowing that he definitely recalled what had happened. "You're father told you about that?"

Kakashi felt a smile tug at his lips for the first time in far too long. "Considering he had me stay up with Kinkaku all night long, he sort of had to share the reason."

Ibiki frowned at them. "And just what _was_ that reason?"

Inoichi's cheeks gained a bit more color while Kakashi explained. "Inoichi felt that he would be better at mixing the salve for a rash on some of the nin-hounds' feet. But he refused to listen to Shikaku's warnings that humans and animals don't necessarily react the same way to certain herbs. Before anyone could stop him he had spread his salve onto Kinkaru's feet, and ten minutes later she had lost all of her fur."

Ibiki's attempts at holding back a laugh ended with a snort, while Inoichi frowned and moved over to Kakashi's side. "Her fur grew back...eventually. Now scoot over so that I can set some barrier traps in place for those idiot cousins of mine."

Now that surprised him. "Traps? Won't they know they were set by you?"

Inoichi placed his fingertips just above Kakashi's temples. "The traps I'm going to set will make them suspect each other long before they ever think to blame me. And even if they do, they won't be in any shape to share that information."

Ibiki's gruff voice mirrored Kakashi's thoughts. "Remind me never to get on Inoichi's bad side."

* * *

Shikamaru had been there when Kakashi was taken away by the ANBU so many weeks ago. Well, he'd actually been on the roof of a building down the street, but he'd had a clear view of what transpired, including the increased presence of the ANBU stationed around Iruka-sensei's apartment once the Copy-ninja was taken away. Sure, he could have found some way to gain access to that place to verify that his former Academy instructor was okay, but he didn't think that he'd gain enough information to make it worth the trouble. Besides, it was Kakashi that he was more worried about.

Since the day that the jonin was removed from his temporary residence, rumors had begun to spread throughout Konoha. Disturbing rumors. But no one was able to say exactly where these rumors had started, and even Ino's sources were clueless on the entire topic. According to her, one day everyone was abuzz over the miraculous return of the Copy Ninja and the Lost Uchiha, and the next day those same gossips were spreading lies about how Kakashi was a traitor to the village. Nd they just had to be lies. There was no logical reason why the man that he had begrudgingly come to think of as a mentor would be considered a traitor. Hell, hadn't he proven his loyalty to Konoha when he was willing to sacrifice his life for them all in this last mission?

He laid back on the grass with his arms under his head and stared up at the clouds. He hoped that their randomness would calm his mind enough that he might be able to figure out this latest puzzle. Why would anyone within the Village walls want to accuse one of the strongest shinobi of treason when there were still so many enemies out there with Konoha in their cross-hairs? It just didn't make sense.

"There you are! I've been looking all over the place for you."

Shikamaru rolled his eyes at Ino's exceptionally loud declaration before turning his head until the blond-haired woman came into view. "We've known each other since the Academy. I would think that, by now, you should know that this is where I go to think things through."

A small huff of air came out of her pouting lips as she sat on the grass next to him. This action, in itself, was enough to make Shikamaru curious. After all, it was rare that Ino would ever be seen in public with him when he was lying about. Only one thing might have been enough to make her risk her reputation by doing so in the middle of the day. And he had a growing feeling that he really didn't want to hear whatever it was that the kunoichi was about to tell him.

He waited for her to speak, but when several seconds went by in silence, his curiosity won out over his patience. "So _why_ were you looking for me, Ino?"

He watched her reach up and pull her ponytail over one shoulder so that she could run her fingers through its length. "Well, you know how you asked me to keep an ear out for any more rumors about Kakashi-sensei?"

Again he had to prod her to continue. "And...?"

"Well, it's not really a rumor if its true, right?"

Shikamaru sighed before sitting partway up, leaning on his forearms. "Are you deliberately trying to be vague?"

Ino shot him a look that he hadn't seen since before he'd been promoted to chunin. The one which made it very clear that he shouldn't talk to her that way. But, it seemed to work, because she finally got to the point.

"My dad got called away from breakfast this morning for an emergency council meeting to discuss Kakashi-sensei's date of execution."

He sat up the rest of the way so quickly that Ino actually jumped back a step. "They actually _said_ that? In front of you?"

"Well, not exactly. But let's face it, how many other 'traitorous high profile prisoners' do you know of within Konoha that would require a council meeting to move the event along?"

Shikamaru didn't like this one bit. He'd heard the rumors that Kakashi had a death sentence hanging over his head, but for the Council to rush like this to set an actual execution date was simply unheard of. Especially considering that group of elders was notorious for taking a week just to agree to disagree!

He sprang to his feet with practiced ease and shoved his hands into his pockets. Without a word to Ino, he started walking toward the Hokage Tower, trying his best to puzzle out who would be bold enough within the Council to make such a move. Ino fell into step beside him, and her silence in itself was enough to show Shikamaru that she was as disturbed by all of this as he was. The trip went much quicker than expected, but before they made it all the way to the level with the Hokage's office, they were nearly knocked over by Shizune.

The dark-haired woman was already six steps past them when she stopped short and turned back to face them. "Ino! There you are! I've been sent to find you."

Shikamaru watched a look of confusion settling onto his former teammate's face at Shizune's proclamation. But before he could even start to smirk at her, the Hokage's aide turned her attention on him.

"Oh, this is just perfect! I needed to find you too, Shikamaru."

"Why?" The word slipped out of his lips before he could stop it, and as such it held a bit more interest in his tone than he'd normally use.

Shizune's dark eyes met his and she smiled like a cat that had just caught a mouse. "Lady Tsunade has been called away for an emergency meeting and she needs someone to take over for her at the Hospital."

Shikamaru frowned. "I don't do blood."

Ino nearly squealed at his side as she cuffed him on the back of his head. "You're a _chunin_, idiot. Of course you do blood!"

He could have easily dodged her swipe, but if he had, he would have lost his standing as the laziest shinobi in the village. Instead he shrugged it off and addressed Shizune. "I'm sure you can find someone else to go with Ino. Wasn't Sakura due back today."

The dark-haired woman frowned at him, and long before she actually spoke, the wave of something just shy of killing intent made it clear that he couldn't get out of this. Still, though, her next words surprised him.

"The Hokage has authorized me to assign you to weapons practice for _all_ the pre-genin classes for the next six months if you refuse to go the the Hospital. Should I draw up the papers, Shikamaru?"

He cursed the day that the Hokage had overheard him revealing to Asuma his hatred of dealing with little snot-nosed brats with pointy objects. And it was just her style to use that information to get him to do something that was surely going to be nothing but troublesome.

Ino's barely concealed laughter wasn't helping matters. He shot her a glare even as he replied to the blackmailing jonin. "Although I know that this will be more trouble in the long run, I'll go to the Hospital. Where should we report?"

Shizune's face lit up with a grin, providing more proof to his theory that every female out there was bi-polar. "I'll show you. Anyhow, you'll need me to get you past the ANBU."

Before Shikamaru could question her on that cryptic comment, she and Ino were already busy chattering endlessly about the latest shinobi match ups and break ups. By the time they'd paused long enough for him to ask anything, they were already at the doors to the Hospital, and face to face with four towering ANBU.

Their presence made it clear that the Hokage had likely been working on an important patient, and he couldn't help but let a small hope rise to the surface. Perhaps it was Kakashi-sensei who had been her patient. But as soon as he acknowledged the thought, his mind was already providing him with the many reasons why he and Ino would never have been the ones selected if it truly was the Copy Ninja within these walls.

The weight of a solid hand on his shoulder pulled him out of his thoughts. In front of him stood one of the tallest ANBU he'd ever seen, and as his mind automatically started to run through the stats on anyone he knew that neared this man's stature, the words spoken from behind the stylized tiger's mask made their way into his mind.

"Remove your hands from your pockets."

Knowing better than to do anything but comply with the man, Shikamaru did as instructed and stood perfectly still as the man continued to stare down at him. The depth and cut of the eye holes didn't even allow him to see what color the hidden orbs were, which explained why people with distinctive eyes could actually maintain anonymity within the masked ranks of ANBU.

"Go ahead, kid. You're cleared."

He frowned at being called a kid, but at this point he was far too curious about who they were guarding to pay it too much mind. Instead, he shoved his hands back into his pockets and moved to where Shizune and Ino were waiting for him. He knew that they were both chastising him for taking so long, but he'd become quite skilled at blocking out the annoying tones of most of the women he knew. After all, if he actually tried to follow what ninety percent of them went on about his brain would probably melt. And he was rather fond of his brain.

Besides, at the moment the ongoing puzzle of just why he and Ino needed to be here was simply too intriguing to allow him to be distracted. He settled into a relaxed walk behind Shizune, and with each door they passed he mapped out in his mind exactly where they were headed, so that, by the time they'd reached the next floor, he'd already calculated two possible destinations.

The first was the doorway leading into the secure wing. This was a possibility because it wouldn't have been the first time a Nara was pressed into service to restrain a potentially dangerous criminal in need of stitches. And it would explain Ino being sent as well. Tsunade obviously knew that the Yamanaka kunoichi wasn't likely to be gentle with someone deemed an enemy of Konoha.

The second would be Tsunade's private offices. He had heard stories from both Ino and Sakura about the fact that the Hokage treated some of the most challenging cases within those rooms. Some thought that she did so to keep her failures unnoticed, but Shikamaru had deduced that it was more likely that she wanted to be as close to her most prized medical tomes as possible to lessen the waste of precious time in her more difficult cases. So perhaps she wanted him to help solve a medical mystery. And maybe Ino would be there to keep the patient from dying before he and Tsunade found that answer.

So when they passed by the guarded entrance of the Secure Wing without pausing, and then turned toward the rows of private offices, Shikamaru was feeling rather proud of himself for figuring the puzzle out. But, even though they were now approaching the Hokage's offices, as he had surmised, and were cleared for entry by even more ANBU, he definitely did not expect to see the scarred face of Obito Uchiha as the man sat behind the Hokage's desk. Then, before his mind could wrap itself around this unforeseen circumstance, his eyes took in the second occupant in the room, and he could only stare, dumbfounded, at the sight of Iruka-sensei standing next to the Uchiha holding his hand up wrapped in what appeared to be a blood-soaked kitchen towel.

Fortunately, the others with him were not having the same difficulty. In fact, Ino shouldered him out of the way as she made a bee-line for Iruka-sensei, with Shizune just a step behind her. Shikamaru's mind eventually caught up to the action around him and he scratched at the back of his neck as he strolled over to the desk. By the time he arrived, he'd noted a few more important facts. First – Obito was so engrossed in what he was doing that he hadn't looked up even when Ino's voice reached a decibel that was sure to raise the dead in the right conditions. Second – Iruka-sensei was trying to push away both of the women as they tried to pull him physically off to the side with the obvious intent to care for whatever was hiding beneath the bloody towel. Third – the desk was covered with thick files, all of which bore the classified mark used only for documents being used in cases of treason.

He frowned while his mind churned those new facts, until they all fell neatly into place, and he smirked at just how wily their Hokage truly was. Between Iruka-sensei, Obito Uchiha, and himself, there might actually be a way to disprove whatever false charges were contained in the volumes of paperwork strewn across the desk. And even though the work was bound to be troublesome, he knew that he would spend as much time and energy as he needed to if the end result was the release of Kakashi Hatake.


End file.
